The indicator light on the molding machine came back on. Karl patted the control panel, muttering, "It's not a big deal." The machine emitted a low hum, the cooling platform started operating, and the interrupted production process slowly resumed.
Chen Hao stood to the side, still clutching the fuel rod that hadn't been sealed yet. He looked down at it, then looked up at Susan, "At least this thing didn't completely break down."
Susan ignored him, simply putting the mold she had just taken off back in its place and wiping the oil off her hands. Her movements were steady, but her brow remained furrowed.
Nana's voice came from behind the terminal: "Power has stabilized, and there are no abnormal records in the system. It is recommended that subsequent operations manually reset the circuit breaker every ten minutes to avoid overload again."
“Got it.” Carl nodded, tightening the last screw. “Remind me before the next trip.”
Chen Hao put the fuel rod in his hand into the storage box next to him and suddenly said, "Now that the machine can be repaired, shouldn't we also think about what to do after the tunnel is dug? Where should the exit be placed? We can't delay any longer."
The words caused a moment of silence. Susan stopped what she was doing and turned to look at him. Carl also straightened up, a hint of surprise on his face.
"Why are you bringing this up now?" Susan asked.
"Now that we have some free time?" Chen Hao shrugged. "The generator is fixed, and we can make fuel. We can't just keep running around these broken machines all day, can we? If something happens, where do we go? How do we get there?"
Susan put down her tools, walked to the table, and picked up a hand-drawn map. It was a rough sketch of the surrounding terrain that she had drawn a few days ago based on Nana's data.
“I think the exit must be close to the base,” she said. “In case of an emergency, everyone needs to evacuate as quickly as possible. The closer the better.”
Chen Hao immediately shook his head: "No way. Getting too close is just asking for trouble. If someone outside comes after us, they can wipe us all out through the tunnel."
"So how far away do you plan to place the exit?" Susan stared at him.
"Two kilometers away." Chen Hao pointed to a dense forest area in the northwest of the map. "There are many trees there, and the terrain is messy. You won't be able to find your way once you go in."
Susan sneered: "You want us to warm up with a run before we even escape? What about the elderly and children? What about the wounded? Do you think they can run two kilometers in two minutes?"
“I didn’t say they could run away.” Chen Hao stroked his chin. “We can use a car.”
"What if the car breaks down?" Susan retorted. "What if the battery dies? What if a tire blows out? Do you expect everyone to push the car through the jungle?"
"Then what do you suggest we do?" Chen Hao raised his voice slightly. "If we can't even hide them, what's the point of talking about safety?"
“Safety isn’t just about hiding,” Susan said calmly. “It’s about being able to leave alive.”
Carl interjected, "How about a compromise? About a kilometer away, find a semi-secluded spot? Not too far, and not too conspicuous."
Chen Hao shook his head again: "We'll still be discovered even after a kilometer. As long as someone follows the trail, they'll find the entrance sooner or later."
Susan frowned: "But going any further wouldn't be an evacuation, it would be exile."
The two stared at each other, neither backing down.
Nana walked over at that moment. She didn't speak immediately, but instead turned on the projector and pulled up a new set of terrain data.
“Based on the analysis of the underground rock strata and the surface vegetation cover,” she said, “there is a natural collapse gully 800 meters to the northwest, which has been covered by vines for a long time and is less than 15 percent visible from the outside.”
She paused for a moment, waiting for the three of them to see the scene clearly.
"This location connects naturally with the current tunnel extension direction, minimizing construction difficulty. At the same time, there are multiple branching fissures at the bottom of the valley, making it suitable for setting up camouflaged exits and observation points."
Chen Hao leaned closer to look at the projection. "Eight hundred meters... much closer than my two kilometers."
“But it’s more covert than your plan,” Susan added.
Nana continued, "Simulations show that the average travel time from the base to this exit is 45 seconds. With segmented lighting and handrails, it can be further reduced to less than 40 seconds."
"Is the probability of finding it really that low?" Chen Hao asked.
“Combining wind direction, lighting angle, and ground disturbance trace diffusion model,” Nana replied, “the probability of external detection is 11.6%, close to the theoretical minimum.”
Chen Hao stroked his chin without saying a word.
Susan looked at the marked point on the map and gently tapped the location with her finger.
"You can even set traps?" she asked.
“Okay.” Nana nodded. “The entrance to the valley is narrow, which is suitable for setting up simple tripwires and rockfall traps. It can also be expanded into a temporary base later.”
Carl whistled: "Sounds good, can run fast and hide well."
Chen Hao finally spoke: "It's more comprehensive than I originally thought."
Susan glanced at him: "You think you've considered everything thoroughly?"
“At least I thought of hiding,” Chen Hao shrugged. “Some people just want to rush forward.”
“We’re rushing to survive,” Susan retorted, “not to put on a marathon show.”
Carl waved his hand with a smile: "Alright, alright, stop arguing. Anyway, we have a place now."
Nana closed the projector: "I suggest that we immediately start geological reinforcement work on the exit section and pre-bury ventilation ducts."
"I'll go prepare the materials." Carl turned and walked towards the warehouse.
“I’ll oversee the fuel supply,” Susan said, picking up her notebook. “To ensure the digging continues uninterrupted.”
Chen Hao straightened up and stretched his shoulders: "Then I'll be in charge of coordinating the progress, and while I'm at it, I'll see if I can pick up any useful scraps."
Nana glanced at him: "Of the three wires you brought back last time, two of them have aged insulation and are unusable."
"I'll definitely pick the best this time." Chen Hao waved his hand. "I have my own standards, okay?"
“Your ‘standards’ last time included a rusty water pipe and half a plastic bucket,” Nana said expressionlessly.
"Isn't that just making use of waste?" Chen Hao argued. "Who knows you wouldn't use it?"
Susan had already packed her toolbox. She looked up and said, "Stop talking nonsense, let's go. While it's still light, let's go and check out the exit connection section in person."
The four of them walked out of the laboratory together.
The tunnel entrance was located at the back of the base, covered by an old steel plate, with several bags of sand and gravel piled up beside it. Chen Hao bent down and lifted the cover, and a blast of cold air escaped.
He turned on his headlamp, and the beam shone deep into the passageway.
“It’s quite clean down here,” he said.
“Because no one is slacking off.” Susan followed behind him, reminding him, “Watch your head, there were loose stones over there.”
"Okay." Chen Hao glanced up. "You're even more long-winded than Nana."
"Shut up and move forward," Susan shoved him.
Carl walked in the middle with his tool bag on his back, checking the brightness of his flashlight as he muttered, "Hopefully we won't encounter any more hard rock formations here, or it'll waste more time."
Nana walked at the back, her terminal glowing faintly as it updated the underground structure map in real time.
The passageway wasn't wide; the four of them could only walk in a single file. Their footsteps echoed between the rock walls, and the air was filled with the mixed smells of earth and metal.
After walking for about ten minutes, a fork in the road appeared ahead.
“The left side is the original planned route,” Nana said, pointing to the markings on the rock face. “The right side is the suggested path to the new exit.”
Chen Hao stopped and looked towards the passage on the right.
That road looked deeper and darker.
"Turn here?" he asked.
"Yes," Nana confirmed. "The estimated excavation length is 780 meters, of which 300 meters are stable rock strata, and the remaining part will require the installation of support structures."
“It’s fifty meters longer than before.” Carl frowned. “We’ll need to build a few more support frames.”
“Scrap steel bars will do,” Susan said. “We still have some in stock.”
Chen Hao reached out and touched the wall of the passage on the right, feeling the rough texture on his fingertips.
“This is it,” he said. “The exit is on this line.”
No one objected.
Nana began recording the decision-making milestones, while Carl took out chalk and marked the first construction point on the wall. Susan crouched down to check the ground's load-bearing capacity, while Chen Hao took a few more steps inside, his headlamp beam sweeping across the cracks in the rock wall.
"This place looks alright," he said, "it's just a bit damp."
"The waterproof layer must be laid before the rainy season," Nana reminded.
"Understood." Chen Hao turned around. "I'll leave this to you."
Susan stood up, brushed the dust off her pants, and asked, "Shall we start digging tomorrow?"
"Let's move the equipment in tonight," Chen Hao said. "The sooner we start work, the sooner we can get through."
Carl had already written the first set of coordinates on the wall and casually circled it with red paint.
Nana closed the terminal and said softly, "The exit location plan has been confirmed, and the execution process has been generated."
The four stood at the crossroads, silent for a moment.
Then Chen Hao turned and walked back. "Let's go back for dinner. We'll be busy tomorrow."
Others followed suit.
A sliver of sunlight pierced through the passageway, casting its light on the damp ground.
Susan walked at the back, and paused slightly as she passed the newly marked red circle.
She glanced down at the numbers on the wall, then looked up at the dimly lit passageway ahead.
Breathing gently stirred up the dust in the air.
The headlamp beam flickered.
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