The vibrations of the guitar strings still lingered on his fingertips. Just as Chen Hao was about to pull his hand back, Nana's camera suddenly flashed red.
She stood still, but her voice immediately changed: "An abnormal signal has been detected."
Chen Hao froze, his hand hanging in mid-air. He thought it was a false alarm from the system, like the refrigerator temperature sensor that went off in the middle of the night last time. But then he glanced at Nana and noticed that her camera was rapidly adjusting its focus, as if tracking something unseen.
"Not noise?" he asked.
“Excluding interference from natural sources, the signal exhibits regular pulse characteristics.” After saying this, Nana pointed to the communication module above her head. “It repeats every twelve seconds for three minutes, then reappears after a four-minute interval following an interruption. It has been captured seven times in a row.”
Chen Hao slowly lowered his hand and walked to the control panel. A series of waveforms appeared on the screen, rising and falling rhythmically, unlike the erratic jumping caused by wind blowing through power lines or animals brushing against equipment.
"This thing...was given by a person?"
“The probability of it being generated spontaneously by non-biological means is less than 0.3 percent,” Nana said. “It is very likely a distress signal.”
The air fell silent for a moment. Chen Hao stared at the line for a long time, then suddenly grinned: "There really is someone there?"
He turned and headed towards the warehouse, walking much faster than usual. As he passed the dining table, he grabbed half a cold biscuit and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing as he rummaged through drawers and cupboards.
"Where's the first-aid kit? Do you still have the bandages left over from the last pipe repair? And the flashlight, the batteries need to be replaced, don't let it go out halfway."
Nana followed her in and stood at the door scanning the supplies list. "The available emergency equipment includes: a set of basic medicines, a waterproof tarp, 15 meters of rope, a multi-tool, and two backup power supplies."
"That's enough." Chen Hao stuffed the things into his backpack. "I'll also grab a thermos and fill it with hot water. Just in case they get cold."
"The temperature is expected to drop to seven degrees Celsius tonight, and it will feel even colder," Nana reminded her. "You're not wearing a coat."
"It'll get hot soon." Chen Hao slung his bag over his shoulder and swung it a couple of times. "With my build, I start sweating after just a few steps."
Nana didn't say anything more, turned around and took a modified metal box from the shelf. She opened the side cover, connected the remaining parts, and a few seconds later the screen lit up with green trajectory lines.
"The initial location of the signal source has been completed," she said. "It is about 18.7 kilometers away, and the terrain is mainly barren and gentle slopes. It is estimated to take six hours to walk there."
"Then why aren't we leaving?" Chen Hao had already reached the door and peeked out through a crack. It was completely dark outside, with many stars and the wind had died down.
He glanced back at the restaurant. The lights were still on, and the words on the wall were faintly visible—"Don't take the first time too seriously, but you can't completely ignore it either."
He stood there without moving, taking a breath.
"Weren't we always hoping someone would come? Now that we actually have a signal, can we just pretend we can't hear it?"
Nana looked at him.
"You once said that living comfortably is not the end goal."
“Yes.” Chen Hao nodded. “It’s the starting point.”
He took a deep breath and stepped out the door.
Nana's feet crunched on the sand, and the base's lights faded into the distance behind her. She activated navigation mode; a pale blue path was projected onto the ground ahead, as straight as if drawn with a pen.
“The route has been marked, and the direction will be calibrated in real time along the way,” she said.
“Okay, you lead the way.” Chen Hao slapped his thigh. “I’m just worried that I’ll fall asleep while walking. Fat people tend to get sleepy when walking.”
"Your sleep cycle data indicates that you are currently awake for at least five hours."
"You still remember these?"
"All physiological data are within the range of what is permissible."
"Then you'd better keep a close eye on me. If I can't walk anymore, you'll have to drag me along."
"Traction output support".
"Goodness, they're really dragging their feet?"
"It is recommended that you proceed on your own."
Chen Hao chuckled and steadied his steps. The wasteland was wide open, the ground relatively flat, with only a few scattered pebbles blocking the way. He adjusted the shoulder straps as he walked, feeling that the backpack was a bit heavy, but he could still carry it.
"Why is this person sending a signal now? Is he like us when we first landed, unable to even start a fire?"
"The possibility exists."
"How desperate must he have been to wait until today? What if he's already gone?"
"The signal is being continuously transmitted, indicating that the equipment still has a power supply and the operator still has the ability to move."
"That's true." Chen Hao breathed a sigh of relief. "As long as we can still press the button, there's hope."
They continued forward. The stars in the sky remained still, and the path beneath their feet remained unchanged. The blue line stretched on and on, as if it would never end.
After walking for about forty minutes, Chen Hao began to pant heavily. He stopped, took a sip of water, and wiped his face.
"Why do I feel more and more tired as I walk? I was fine just now."
“You’re not getting enough carbohydrates, and your blood sugar levels are dropping.” Nana handed over a pack of compressed biscuits. “I suggest you replenish your energy.”
"How do you know everything?" Chen Hao took a bite. "If I had half your ability in exams before, I wouldn't have failed so many courses and had to drop out of school."
"The knowledge base contains 12,367 educational materials."
"Then why didn't you teach me sooner?"
"You never asked to study."
"Can I make this request now?"
"Yes. The current environment is not suitable for teaching."
"Sigh, I knew you'd say that."
He ate a couple more bites, stuffed the package into his pocket, patted his stomach, and continued on his way.
A night breeze blew in from the side, carrying the scent of earth and hay. In the distance, the mountain shadows lay dark and indistinct, making it impossible to discern any trees or craters. Chen Hao stared intently at the blue line, fearing it might suddenly veer off course.
"What if this signal is fake? Like, a trap set by aliens?"
There is no evidence to support this hypothesis.
"What if? That's how it is in movies. The protagonist rushes to help as soon as he hears a cry for help, only to find a bunch of mutated monsters waiting to devour him."
"If danger arises, I will activate the defense protocol."
"Can you beat him?"
"No similar threats have been encountered, so an assessment is not possible."
"Then you at least have to protect me, right?"
"The core command prioritizes protecting the safety of companions."
"That sounds reassuring," Chen Hao smiled. "Although it's still uncertain who will protect whom."
After walking a while longer, the ground began to undulate. The blue line veered slightly, bypassing a collapsed area. Chen Hao was panting more heavily, and his pace slowed.
"I mean...do we really have to walk for six hours? Can't we just take a taxi or something?"
"The vehicle is damaged beyond repair."
"Why can't you make a skateboard? You're so smart, why don't you build an electric one?"
"With insufficient materials, the power system cannot be constructed."
"Sigh, I can't blame society for my bad luck," Chen Hao sighed. "I can only rely on my own two legs."
He looked up at the sky; the moon hadn't risen yet, but the stars were becoming more and more numerous.
"What do you think that person is doing right now? Is he also looking up at the sky?"
"Unable to determine."
"Would he be happy if he knew someone was looking for him?"
"When humans receive external responses in an isolated state, their emotional feedback generally shows positive fluctuations."
"That means you'll be happy."
"yes."
Chen Hao's lips curled up, and he quickened his pace.
"Then we can't stop. We have to keep going, no matter how tired we are."
He touched the thermos in his backpack and confirmed that it was still warm.
"The first thing we'll do when we find him is give him a drink of hot water."
Nana didn't say anything, but simply extended the navigation line forward a bit.
The blue light spread quietly across the ground, like a stream that would never be extinguished.
They continued walking. The wind wasn't strong, but it felt a little cool on their sweat-soaked clothes. Chen Hao started humming a song, the tune was off and unrecognizable.
He hummed a few lines but forgot the lyrics himself, so he simply shut up and started to catch his breath.
The wasteland remained flat, but the mountains seemed closer. The blue line neither broke nor forked, always pointing in the same direction.
Chen Hao glanced at Nana.
"Would you say we did something worthwhile this time?"
Nana turned to look at him.
"All 36 improvements made in the past were serious matters."
"I mean, saving people."
"This is the first time we have carried out an external rescue mission."
"Then let's consider it the first time," Chen Hao smiled. "It's the first time I've saved someone, so I need to remember it well."
He reached into his pocket, trying to find a piece of paper to write it down, but only managed to pull out half a piece of candy.
"Never mind, I'll write it when I get back."
He unwrapped the candy and put it in his mouth, the sweetness melting on his tongue.
"Let's go, don't waste any more time."
The two continued forward. Their shadows stretched long as they moved along the blue line, inching forward step by step.
A grayish-white tinge began to appear on the horizon, but dawn was still far off.
Chen Hao's steps were a little slow, but he didn't stop.
Nana's projected line moved steadily forward, without flickering or deviating.
They crossed a low pile of stones, bypassed a dry ditch, and the terrain ahead began to rise slowly.
The blue line is slightly tilted, indicating an increased slope.
Chen Hao took a breath and adjusted his backpack strap.
"Looks like we're almost there?"
Just as Nana was about to answer, a slight tremor suddenly came from the ground in front of her.
Chen Hao stopped and looked down at the sand beneath his feet.
The tiny particles are moving slowly, as if being pushed from below by something.
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