I'm playing Frostpunk in Arknights

Wang Zhan shoveled a few mouthfuls of rice and continued to watch the drama unfolding on the screen. This father-daughter pair was quite interesting.

FrostNova was the adopted daughter of Patriot. The father's desire for his daughter to live a stable life was understandable, but FrostNova didn't seem like the kind of girl who followed orders blindly—she had her own decisions to make.

Besides, the guerrilla squad losing a leader would only increase their responsibilities, which was far from ideal for a team frequently facing danger.

Wang Zhan figured FrostNova wouldn't stay. However, with Talulah, Alina, and the other infected, at least there were enough people to kickstart the energy tower's construction.

"You understand the meaning of a city for the Infected," Patriot said haltingly, the Originium crystals in his body having affected his vocal cords.

"I'm even clearer about how the Northern Guerrilla Squad has been rescuing the Infected all these years, yet our numbers never grow," FrostNova replied. She knew full well how many people the squad had lost over the years. "If you plan to die in some unknown place, you'd better let me know early."

She hit the nail on the head about the guerrilla squad's plight. Patriot responded with silence, implicitly allowing his daughter to remain by his side.

"Let them know we should leave," Patriot said, slamming his spear into the ground. The sound echoed through the canyon, and the guerrilla soldiers reformed their shield wall in unison. "We'll meet again someday."

Just like that, they were leaving?

"You can rest here, even for just a while," Alina suggested to Patriot, echoing Wang Zhan's own thoughts.

"We cannot linger here," Patriot replied, his gaze fixed on the glowing energy tower. In his heart, he silently vowed never to let the energy tower become another Kazdel.

"The enemy may be lax, but we cannot afford to be careless."

"Alina, give them 200 portions of raw food supplies," Wang Zhan instructed. "It's in the storage room behind the energy tower."

Since the guerrilla squad provided manpower, Wang Zhan felt he ought to express his gratitude. While the food wouldn't last long for their nearly two thousand members, it was still a token of appreciation, especially since Patriot was willing to draw the enemy's attention elsewhere.

"Got it," Alina said.

Alina relayed the message to Talulah, who led a group to retrieve 200 portions of fresh food supplies. Under the astonished gazes of the guerrilla soldiers, the supplies were handed over to them.

The food was impressively fresh.

The guerrilla squad's cooks gleefully began brainstorming how to prepare it. With tree roots, they could make a hearty soup that would fill everyone's stomach.

"If anything happens, Talulah, you know how to contact us," Patriot said as he turned to lead the squad northward through the canyon.

FrostNova exchanged a look with Talulah. After some hesitation, the white-furred rabbit finally voiced the question she had been suppressing. "If this city really gets built, will you still go south?"

"Of course," Talulah replied, puzzled as to why FrostNova would ask something they had already discussed. "The Infected there are still waiting for us."

FrostNova said nothing more and turned to lead her Snowfall squad after the guerrilla forces. Their cryptic conversation piqued Wang Zhan's curiosity.

"Alina, what's this about going south?" he asked.

Alina, busy arranging accommodations for the remaining Infected, paused to explain. "The tundra's resources are limited. Although the guerrilla squad grows wheat, it's never enough to feed everyone. On our journeys, we trade with villages, but whether they're willing is always uncertain."

Heading south could mean a better life, with more red wheat to cultivate.

But the south was also home to multiple military forces. For the Infected guerrillas, it might just be a path to becoming cannon fodder.

"Now that you're here, though, our lives will get better," Alina said, her tone tinged with hope and melancholy. The Infected had never had an easy life, and just spending a night near the energy tower was already a joy for them.

The sound of gears turning rang out, and Wang Zhan noticed two familiar energy bars appearing at the bottom of the screen: Hope and Discontent.

Hope was at about 40%, while Discontent was at 0%.

[You now have enough manpower. Please monitor "Hope" and "Discontent." If Hope drops to 10% or Discontent reaches 100%, people will gain the right to leave the energy tower. If Hope reaches 0%, the game will end.]

So, the game ends when Hope hits zero… it likely means no one is willing to stay in the city anymore.

Given the various ways to raise Hope and reduce Discontent in Frostpunk, Wang Zhan wasn't too concerned yet. He continued eating and watching Alina on screen.

"Hey," an Infected man nervously called out to Alina. "Could you come here for a moment? There's a problem."

Alina followed him through the crowd, where he silently pointed to an old man huddled behind a makeshift tent.

"How's your illness?" Alina gently asked.

The old man flinched, startled. "It's… fine. Really, fine!" he stammered, lowering his head between his knees. His shoulders trembled, and the crystals on them reflected the energy tower's light. "I'm sorry… when the time comes, I'll leave on my own."

"…Get a good night's sleep tonight," Alina said kindly. "Tomorrow's worries can wait until tomorrow, alright?"

"T-Thank you…"

She didn't press further and walked away with the children.

"What's wrong with that old man?" Wang Zhan asked through his microphone.

"His Oripathy is in its final stages. Within a year, he'll have to leave."

Wang Zhan understood. Late-stage Oripathy meant the infected organs would crystallize completely, eventually exploding and spreading active Originium dust to the surroundings—a significant threat to the densely populated energy tower.

Yet, in the game, infected individuals weren't classified as "patients," which seemed odd. Wang Zhan decided he needed to discuss this with the game developer, Mu Ye.

Back in the game, Alina consoled the children with a bright smile, answering their questions about the energy tower and its nature. As the children's laughter filled the air, Wang Zhan felt a sense of warmth.

Finally, he checked the population: 130 people, including 15 thugs and 115 remaining Infected—seven of whom were children. It wasn't a bad start for the game.

However, there were only five engineers, including Talulah and Alina. Considering Alina's background as a teacher, the system seemed overly generous in labeling her an engineer. Was basic literacy all it took?

Wang Zhan was curious and messaged Mu Ye.

"Hey, are you there?"

"What's up?" Mu Ye replied instantly.

"How are engineers determined in this game?"

"Anyone literate counts. In Ursus, literacy usually implies an urban background. Most Infected are from rural areas. If you want more engineers, recruit more or check out the mines to the northwest."

"The northwest mines?"

Mu Ye explained that adding new characters or features could lead to bugs, but improvements were planned for the future.

Lastly, Mu Ye reassured Wang Zhan that all operational costs, like electricity and internet, were fully covered.

"Now that's what I call a generous boss," Wang Zhan chuckled as he resumed the game, eager to see how the story would unfold.