I'm playing Frostpunk in Arknights

"You brat... how dare you!"

"You're not the first person I've killed," Sasha said coldly, his icy gaze scanning the restless crowd. "I'll join the hunting party, and in return, I won't tell anyone about your attempt to harm Alina."

"How dare you threaten me!"

Enli leaped forward, knocking the crossbow out of Sasha's hands, but the boy vanished into the glaring snow. Sasha's voice echoed, "I'll help you hunt. You'll be forgiven sooner. It's in your best interest."

Enli looked around, furious. How could he, a grown man, be threatened by a child?

"I don't understand why you're hesitating," Sasha reappeared at the canyon's exit, the moonlight illuminating his slender frame. The crossbow in his hands glinted ominously. "I said I'd only help with the hunting. Is that clear?"

The crossbow was once again aimed at Enli. Sasha might not pull the trigger, but Enli knew he couldn't catch him either.

Enli decided to comply. If the truth about what happened were to spread, he would be ruined.

"...Fine, kid." Enli clicked his tongue, motioning for his men to lower their weapons. "You're skilled with Originium arts, impressive for a kid. But why help us? I don't get it."

Sasha remained silent and walked toward the canyon. Enli could only guess his motivation—it must be hunger.

Yet today's food was plentiful, enough even for someone like Enli to feel stuffed. He remembered Sasha was usually accompanied by the white-haired Liberi, but the Liberi wasn't around now.

Was he doing this for that companion?

---

"I'm sorry, Mr. Generator," Wang Zhan waited an hour before Talulah finally returned to the generator, her expression grim. "The nearby villages refused to trade with us, even when I offered double the food's value in compensation."

"Thank you for your efforts," Wang Zhan said. It seemed the Infected were truly unwelcome. Without village trade, they'd have to rely on the hunters' cabin. Fortunately, there was still a steam core, and building a greenhouse could be an option.

"A kind villager told me there's a large lake about 300 kilometers from here," Talulah continued.

Three hundred kilometers. In the vast tundra of Ursus, that was an enormous distance. Without transportation, crossing the snowfields on foot would be extremely dangerous.

Still, a lead was better than nothing. Who knew when it might come in handy?

"We could establish a fishing site there," Talulah suggested. Since the generator's goal was future preparation, the lake could be worth considering.

A fishing port?

Wang Zhan opened the tech tree. Sure enough, there was an option for a fishing port under the food category. It seemed the lake was a fixed resource point.

But 300 kilometers was too far.

"Thank you for your effort," Alina relayed Wang Zhan's words. "I propose we sell some pure Originium to acquire raw food supplies."

Wang Zhan noticed Alina's expression darken. He hadn't consulted her about selling the Originium, and she was clearly displeased. The act risked exposing the generator's existence and carried significant danger.

"Pure Originium? That's illegal in Ursus."

Infected individuals might access raw or fragmented Originium, but pure Originium required refined processing in specialized factories. Private transactions were strictly forbidden.

Talulah's hesitation was evident. Wang Zhan immediately addressed her concerns. "I'm sorry if this puts you in a difficult position. I'll withdraw the suggestion."

"Are these food supplies crucial to you, Mr. Generator?"

"They're for emergencies, not an immediate necessity," Wang Zhan explained. The goal was to prepare for potential crises, such as storms or a population surge.

Survival always came first: sufficient food, warm shelter, and protective clothing were the essentials for the Infected. Talulah pondered. "I can try contacting Infected within mobile cities. They might have access to black market channels."

Alina, however, looked worried. "But even in the black market, won't information about the generator leak out?"

"Black markets have their rules," Talulah countered, her familiarity with shady merchants evident. "Besides, we're all Infected. The nobles are everyone's common enemy."

Yet Alina's worry deepened. Even Infected could be blinded by greed. Were they truly different from ordinary people, aside from Oripathy?

"This task is yours," Wang Zhan decided. "But consider the risks carefully. If exposure becomes likely, you'll decide whether to proceed."

Talulah nodded. "Understood. But we may get less than expected. Black market deals rely on profit, not trust. Maintaining secrecy will come at a higher cost."

"No problem," Wang Zhan assured. "As long as we get the food."

After all, the Originium was a gift from Mu Ye. Even if it were lost, it would only serve as a lesson without harming the generator.

"Got it. May I see the Originium?"

"It's in the storage facility."

Alina led Talulah to the storage, while Wang Zhan resumed construction. The workspace was complete; only the medical post and hunters' cabin remained.

He opened the construction menu, selecting the medical post under the "Health" category. He placed it directly across from the canyon entrance to minimize travel distance for the sick or injured.

---

Just then, Wang Zhan's phone buzzed. It was a reply from Mu Ye regarding his earlier question.

"I've considered the issue of communication during your absence. Check the exploration category—do you see a telegraph station?"

Wang Zhan navigated to the exploration tech tree. Indeed, there was an option for a telegraph station in Tier 1.

"In The Last Autumn DLC, the telegraph station was used for resource requests. In this DLC, it serves as a communication hub—including with you."

Communication sounded useful, but resource support was still more tempting.

"Can NPCs send me messages through the telegraph station?"

"Exactly," Mu Ye explained. "After the storm hits, it will become your only means of contacting scout teams."

"After the storm?"

"One more thing," Mu Ye added. "I'll roll out a patch to address your concerns. Is there anything else you'd like me to include?"