I'm playing Frostpunk in Arknights

The next day, as Wang Zhan woke from his sleep, he heard heated arguments coming from his computer. Listening carefully, it seemed like someone was about to be killed...

Wang Zhan snapped awake. The fifteen men who had just returned from hunting yesterday must have passed through the energy tower on their way back, encountering Tallulah and the others!

Wang Zhan rushed to his computer without even putting on his clothes. Losing fifteen workers this early in the game would be disastrous, especially since these men were needed to work overtime 24 hours a day.

"Alina! Alina!"

"Ugh... I'm here!"

From one of the outer tents, a white-haired, disheveled deer girl poked her head out. She raised her hand to greet the energy tower but hesitated—could he even see her greeting?

"Quick, check the base of the energy tower!"

Underneath the energy tower, the fifteen thugs were surrounded by infected individuals. They carried hunted pack beasts on their shoulders, and their leader, a bear-like man, glared fiercely at the infected surrounding him.

"What are you doing?! This meat isn't for you to take!"

"This is for..."

The leader understood he was following orders from the tower but had no idea what it was called. Beads of sweat rolled down his back.

"Are you Enli?"

Tallulah stepped out from the crowd and immediately recognized the infected leader.

Enli had led his men in quitting the guerrilla team yesterday, hoping for food in return. However, the guerrilla team's captain refused, and Tallulah had reluctantly allowed Enli's group to leave empty-handed.

But why were they here now? And where did they get hunting gear?

Enli stammered, unable to answer Tallulah. Guilt weighed on him, and his voice lacked confidence.

"We just returned from hunting and got blocked here. This meat... we can't give it to them!"

"Is this meat for the energy tower?"

Enli nodded firmly. Tallulah sensed there was more to the story but decided to prioritize the bigger picture.

"Everyone, this food was obtained by these hunters under the energy tower's orders. Stealing it would be wrong..." But where did their equipment come from?

"The energy tower shelters us. How could we repay its kindness by stealing its... resources?"

Tallulah wondered—what would a steel tower want with meat?

Wang Zhan, watching this scene, felt it lacked authority. To establish his dominance and instill fear, he decided to issue a warning—a lesson the infected would never forget.

In front of everyone, Wang Zhan shut down the energy tower. As the temperature dropped, the infected began to feel weak. This gift of warmth had come easily, but losing it brought unbearable pain. After enduring the freezing cold of Ursus, they had finally found warmth... only to lose it because of someone's foolishness!

How could they accept this?

"The energy tower is off!!!"

"Damn it! This was your idea, and now the energy tower is angry!"

"My spring abandoned me... sob, sob..."

Cries of despair rose from under the energy tower. Several individuals were pushed forward by the infected, who then turned pleading eyes toward Tallulah. She was still recovering from the shock of the energy tower shutting down and was now brimming with anger.

"Why would you do such a despicable thing under the energy tower?!"

Alina emerged from behind the furious Tallulah. Scanning the kneeling infected, she sighed and began relaying Wang Zhan's words.

"Everyone, please follow my arrangements, obey the laws I announce, and avoid conflicts among yourselves. The energy tower will ensure everyone's survival. Do not use violence to settle disputes."

"Your actions this morning were deeply disappointing. Therefore, I will not reopen the energy tower during the day," Wang Zhan said smugly. He hadn't planned on running the tower during the day anyway. Daytime temperatures were tolerable, and running the tower would waste scarce coal.

"Does this mean it'll still be on at night?"

"Oh, thank goodness! The energy tower is merciful!"

"My spring is back!"

But the situation didn't go as Wang Zhan had expected. Instead of resenting him, the infected praised the energy tower's benevolence. They loudly condemned the would-be thieves, with some even calling for their execution.

Compared to these infected, Wang Zhan suddenly found the unruly citizens of Frostpunk to be much more agreeable.

"Furthermore, do not administer private punishment. If you have disputes to resolve, bring them to Alina," Alina added hastily, realizing she had almost entirely repeated Wang Zhan's words. "I can convey the energy tower's will."

"As for the four culprits, the energy tower will decide their fate," Alina said as she glanced at Enli, who hung his head low. The hunted animals on his shoulders seemed unbearably heavy, forcing him to bend under their weight.

"Alina," Tallulah asked, realization dawning on her, "Enli was the one who attacked you, wasn't he?"

"Yes," Alina nodded. "But the energy tower has already punished him and hopes you won't pursue further blame. Death is a heavy burden for the energy tower."

Tallulah's anger subsided slightly, but she was still indignant that these infected had wronged her friend. "What was the punishment?"

"Working 24 hours straight."

Punishment through labor?

"A reasonable penalty," Tallulah murmured before realizing that 24 hours meant an entire day.

"Ahem, that's... a rather unique punishment. Won't it kill them?"

That was precisely Wang Zhan's intention. After this day, he planned to have Tallulah accompany Alina to visit the fifteen culprits and check if they were fatigued and could continue working. If they were too exhausted, he wouldn't be able to exploit this loophole without risking fatalities, which would decrease hope and increase discontent. Furthermore, it would force Wang Zhan to waste a decree dealing with the corpses.

"He hopes we'll check on the workers tomorrow and ask how they managed through the night," Alina said.

Tallulah agreed. She wanted to confront Enli for answers but had many other matters to handle today, so postponing until tomorrow was sensible. "Alright, I'll follow the energy tower's arrangements."

"As for the other four individuals, stay here," Wang Zhan decided. Initially, he had planned to group them with Enli, but he realized it might lead to conflict and chose to hold off for now.

"Alina, I'm assigning today's tasks now," Wang Zhan said. These NPCs weren't just numbers; they had intricate relationships that needed addressing—a task he left to Alina. "Assist me."

"Got it! I'm always ready to help," Alina said, pumping herself up. "I'm prepared!"

First, they needed a large amount of wood.

Wang Zhan turned his attention to the abandoned village.