I'm playing Frostpunk in Arknights

"Are you serious? They committed offenses, and you're letting them go out?"

The warrior was momentarily baffled, questioning his understanding of logic. After all, standing before him was the Talulah, a respected and decisive leader.

This must be his own misunderstanding. There was no way Talulah could make a mistake in her decisions.

"This is the Energy Tower's directive," Talulah admitted, equally puzzled, but certain that the Energy Tower must have its reasons for such an approach, even if she didn't fully grasp it yet.

"I see... I'll do my best!"

The warrior appeared to psych himself up, trying to align his thoughts with this unexpected order. His exaggerated self-motivation earned chuckles from those around him. Talulah clarified further:

"Those four offenders will patrol for twenty-four hours as part of their punishment. By 6 PM, you can return to rest beneath the Energy Tower."

Wait, what? The warrior's disbelief turned to joy. Was this for real? Would the privileged lords back in the city even dream of a luxury like a fixed end time?

"This seems... too lenient. Isn't patrolling supposed to be a full-time responsibility?"

"Don't worry," Alina interjected, relaying the Energy Tower's reasoning. "When Enli and the hunting team head out tonight, the patrol duties will lighten significantly."

Hearing this, the warrior's face lit up. "Alright then, I'm on it!"

---

With the patrol matters settled, Wang Zhan opened the Canteen interface, assigning five workers to operate it. Although he had the option to enact a Child Labour Law to fill the canteen with children, it was more beneficial to establish Child Shelters and unlock Engineering Assistance and Medic Apprentice options later.

The Energy Tower's current priority wasn't just survival—it was development, always preparing to climb the tech tree.

"Alina, pick the ones who cook the best meals and assign them to the canteen," Wang Zhan instructed.

Approaching lunchtime, the canteen in this simulation didn't operate on fixed meal schedules. Instead, it provided a continuous service for workers to eat whenever they were hungry, running all day.

"Leave it to me, Energy Tower. You need five people, correct?"

Alina quickly selected five workers from the group. These individuals smirked proudly at their peers, knowing full well the benefits of being kitchen staff—mainly, sneaking bites of food.

"You better not let me catch you stealing food!" one of the leftover workers jeered.

Turning back, Alina silenced them with a sharp glance. Once they were quiet, she softened her tone:

"The priority is to fill the workers' stomachs first. If you sneak a little for yourselves, I'll turn a blind eye."

"Yes, ma'am, Alina."

Hearing the honorific, "ma'am," Alina frowned, a flush of discomfort rising to her face. Talulah, who had been watching from the side, burst out laughing.

"I'm just another worker under the Energy Tower," Alina clarified. "I relay orders and assist, but I'm not your superior. Please, don't call me that."

"Understood, understood," the workers replied, but their overly respectful demeanor still made Alina sigh. Years of oppression in Ursus had ingrained these habits too deeply in them.

"It'll take time to change their mindset," she muttered, dismissing the group to begin their work.

---

Meanwhile, Talulah teased, "Alina ma'am, does the Energy Tower have any other orders for us?"

Alina's cheeks turned even redder. Trying to regain her composure, she shot back, "The Energy Tower can hear everything you're saying, Talulah the Warrior."

Now it was Talulah's turn to be embarrassed, the title making her squirm. Wang Zhan, amused by their banter, chimed in:

"I'd like to see our warrior perform a sword dance."

"What did he say?" Talulah asked, suspicious of Alina's mischievous smile.

"He said he'd like to see you perform a sword dance," Alina relayed with mock seriousness.

"A sword dance?!"

Talulah, surprisingly, seemed ready to oblige, much to Wang Zhan's astonishment. Alina quickly clapped her hands and intervened.

"Alright, alright, the Energy Tower was just joking. He has something serious to discuss with you."

Talulah's slight look of disappointment made Wang Zhan feel like he'd missed out on a rare sight.

---

Putting jokes aside, Wang Zhan explained the current problem:

"We have plenty of workers but very few engineers. Aside from Talulah and Alina, there are only three engineers available. This means the Workshop can't function at full efficiency, and the Infirmary will struggle to stay operational. Both buildings are critical."

"I'd like Talulah to find literate individuals who can join us."

After relaying this, Alina passed on Wang Zhan's request. Talulah nodded thoughtfully.

"The Energy Tower is right. Construction here demands skilled individuals. But the north is desolate, and education is rare. Even Alina herself likely escaped from a city to end up here."

"I can contact Ludmila and Alex in southern Chernobog," she suggested. "They're fellow infected with strong connections and unwavering dedication to our cause. They might be able to help."

"I appreciate your effort," Wang Zhan replied.

"No need for thanks," Talulah said firmly. "This is my responsibility."

---

As Talulah and Alina went to the canteen for their meal, Wang Zhan turned his attention to placing a Workshop.

The Workshop was positioned opposite the canteen within the settlement. Towering over other structures at approximately 20 meters tall, its brass-colored exterior featured numerous grid-like windows, a clock on its front facade, a large Tesla coil at its back, and conveyor belt mechanisms on either side.

The Workshop's unique aesthetic didn't surprise Wang Zhan—he had grown accustomed to its peculiar design. What excited him was the unlocked technology tree.

Beyond the original branches for Heating, Exploration & Industry, Resources, and Food, Health & Shelter, there was now a new branch: Originium Technology.

"Originium..." Wang Zhan murmured.

It made sense. In a world like Terra, where Originium was the primary energy source, the Energy Tower couldn't rely solely on coal forever.

The new branch focused on Originium extraction and applications. The first-tier technology included Combustion Chamber Retrofit, enabling the Energy Tower to use Originium as fuel. However, the only beginner-level technology available was Extraction Equipment, which helped workers mine Originium more effectively.

Browsing through the other branches, Wang Zhan noticed a few new technologies had been added, though most weren't immediately relevant. One exception stood out: Textile Mill in the Heating branch.