I'm playing Frostpunk in Arknights

Wang Zhan opened the textile factory's tech panel. Researching it required 10 wood, and constructing it would cost 20 wood and 10 steel. Its effect was producing cold-resistant clothing, such as heated garments with integrated warming lamps, which could be called "Firefly" jackets in the world of Frostpunk.

These warming lamps were powered by wind-up mechanisms, avoiding the dilemma of running out of fuel. However, their downside was the difficulty of repairing them if damaged, necessitating engineers with specialized maintenance skills.

The clothing itself was crafted from hides obtained through hunting. One hunting expedition yielded ten hides, and one hide could be used to make a single piece of cold-resistant clothing.

The next-level technology was the Originium Heating Lamp. Its description caught Wang Zhan's attention:

"Clockwork girls are ultimately a fantasy. Let's use some local specialties to improve the heating lamps, ensuring perpetual warmth. Then we can ponder whether an Originium-powered girl is feasible."

Clockwork girls... Wang Zhan thought of Orianna from League of Legends. A realization hit him—Mu Ye, the game's designer, was likely a fan of quirky things.

"His tastes..." Wang Zhan stopped himself from wandering into gossip.

The "local specialty" was undoubtedly Originium. But where would he find any? Mining seemed like the logical answer. Moreover, the guerrilla squad often targeted infected individuals working in mines. Perhaps they could deliver some Originium on his behalf.

That settles it!

Since Alina was still eating, Wang Zhan didn't want to disturb her. Restraining his curiosity about exploring the surroundings further, he added three engineers to the workshop. This left only one idle worker out in the snow.

The three workers stood in awe before the towering workshop, mesmerized by its grandeur. Could they really work in such a clean and advanced facility?

Wang Zhan noticed their hesitation and couldn't help but chuckle. "They're here to work, not sightsee!" he thought. He re-assigned and then re-added them to the workshop to get them moving. Startled, the workers hurriedly entered the building.

Inside, the workers found instructions on a notice board:

1. Retrieve tasks from the typewriter on the first floor.

2. Use the elevator to the top floor to find relevant materials.

3. Work in teams to process the materials, either by transcribing text or creating blueprints on the second and third floors.

4. Submit the completed tasks back to the typewriter.

One worker read aloud the instructions. "Got it. Let's head to the top floor to retrieve the materials. Follow me."

The others nodded. "This job must be important since it's directly assigned by the Energy Tower Lord!"

The trio quickly reached the top floor's archive. They found a shelf marked "Originium" and retrieved a drawer labeled "Textile Factory." Inside, neatly organized documents awaited them.

"We've got plenty to work on now," one of them remarked.

Out of curiosity, another flipped through other shelves. He murmured as he scanned the titles:

"Differential Machine Compilation Language... Punched Card Coding B++..."

"What kind of books are these? These symbols look so strange," he muttered before closing the book, feeling a headache coming on.

"Are you insane? You dare tamper with the Energy Tower Lord's belongings?" scolded another.

"I was just curious! He's merciful, right?"

The scolding worker grabbed the curious one by the ear, dragging him to the workstation.

---

After unlocking the textile factory, Wang Zhan realized he should've prioritized hunting equipment to address food shortages. Still, the research progress was acceptable.

The workshop's efficiency was at 60%, meaning the research would take 11 hours to complete—ready by tomorrow afternoon. Although slower than desired, it was better than nothing.

Shifting his attention to the abandoned village, Wang Zhan estimated that clearing the six houses there would provide space for two gathering posts, which could help deconstruct the remaining buildings.

---

As expected, scavengers uncovered a large chest from one of the houses. The chest glowed with a golden hue, its crystalline contents shimmering faintly with gray diamond-like shapes within. A notification appeared:

[During the dismantling of an abandoned house, we discovered 4 units of Pure Originium. As one of this land's most common energy sources, Originium has brought both prosperity and suffering. What it means to us remains unknown.]

[Note: 1 unit of Pure Originium equals 140 units of coal; 1 unit of raw Originium equals 60 units of coal; 1 unit of Originium shards equals 10 units of coal.]

A fully operational energy tower consumed 144 units of coal daily. The immense energy potential of Originium was evident.

[Using Originium as fuel requires the "Combustion Chamber Modification" technology. Burning Originium generates Originium Dust, which increases the likelihood of Acute Originium Disease (AOD) outbreaks when the dust level exceeds 0.6. At a level of 4, the system will trigger extreme weather conditions: "Catastrophe."]

Wang Zhan clicked "Confirm," and a new bar tracking Originium Dust concentration appeared. Currently, it was at 0.21.

---

"What's going on?" Alina returned from the cookhouse, satisfied from her meal. The warm, bright atmosphere and orderly food distribution left her deeply moved.

"Store the Originium in the warehouse carefully. Don't damage it," Wang Zhan ordered. He had no intention of using it unless absolutely necessary.

"Understood," Alina replied, though skeptical about the Originium's mysterious origins.

"Trust me, Alina. These Originium units are unclaimed. We'll keep them as an emergency reserve," Wang Zhan reassured.

But as he pondered, a thought lingered: If Originium is this valuable, how much food could one unit fetch?

Sell it! Just one unit as a test!