89: Expand living area

As soon as the kindling system alerted him, Chen Wang stood up. Lin Wei was still putting away tools, and she immediately looked up when she heard the sound.

"The anchor point has shifted," Chen Wang said. "We need to recalibrate."

Lin Wei quickly walked back to the control console, sliding her fingers across the screen. Data scrolled past line by line, and she squinted, saying, "It's not a big problem, but we need to hurry."

The two stood in front of the driver's seat, checking the log entries one by one. Su Wan emerged from the medical pod, glanced at the system status, said nothing, and turned to make four hot drinks. Su Ling leaned against the car door, keeping her gun within reach, silently watching them work.

"It's the memory alloy," Chen Wang said, pointing at the diagram on the screen. "It cooled too quickly after heating, changing its magnetic conductivity."

"Then we'll supply power in segments," Lin Wei continued. "We'll only activate a small section at a time to let the material adapt slowly."

Chen Wang nodded and began setting the pulse frequency. The system reacted very slowly, pausing for ten minutes every 5% progress to check for stress changes. Time ticked by, and the progress bar slowly crept upward.

Two hours later, the final anchor point was locked.

[Folding Anchor Point Calibration Complete | Structural Stability Rating: A-]

"Done," Chen Wang said, releasing the control lever. "Tonight, we sleep in the new carriage."

No one spoke, but the atmosphere had changed. Lin Wei rubbed her eyes, a slight smile turning up the corners of her mouth. Su Ling holstered her gun, stood up, and stretched her shoulders. Su Wan touched the thermos cup; steam was still rising from it.

Chen Wang didn't say much more, turning to mark out the functional areas. He gestured with his hands: "The sleeping area is behind the cockpit. The left side will be the kitchen, and the right side will hold the storage shelves."

Lin Wei started immediately. She pulled metal plates from the material box and cut them to the appropriate size with a cutting machine. Sparks flew as she welded, squatting on the ground, joining segment after segment to form the table frame. The table could be retracted into the wall when not in use, saving space.

Su Wan opened her cloth bag and took out several pieces of dark fabric. She had saved these throughout their journey, originally intending to use them for bandages. Now, she cut them into strips, wrapped them around the sharp metal corners of the seats, and sewed them securely. They no longer felt so cold to the touch.

Su Ling said nothing, moving two old ammunition boxes. She carved "S.L." and "C.W." into the sides and placed them near the door to serve as nightstands. After finishing, she stepped back to look, then quietly retrieved a plush rabbit from a hidden compartment in her backpack and tucked it into the box.

Chen Wang draped his work uniform over the chair back and hung the copper pocket watch left by his father on the hook above the bed. The casing was old, but the watch kept accurate time. He tested the bedding; the firmness was just right.

"We can finally get a good night's sleep," he said.

Lin Wei tossed her chewed-up pen cap into a jar and placed it beside her bed. Su Wan put her silver scalpel box next to the pillow on the medical bed. None of the four mentioned these small actions, but they all noticed them.

Su Wan walked to the water purifier to collect water. She pulled a small cloth pouch from her inner pocket, opening it—inside were dried ginger, star anise, and a pinch of salt. She had saved these ingredients for a long time and had been reluctant to use them.

"I'll cook some soup," she said.

No one objected.

The pot bottom rang as the water came to a boil. She added a little minced meat and let it simmer slowly. The aroma gradually spread, masking the smell of engine oil and metal.

The four sat around the folding table. Enamel mugs were held in their hands, the warmth radiating from their palms.

"This smell," Chen Wang took a sip, "it reminds me of the Sauerkraut and Pork Belly my mom used to stew for the New Year."

"It's much better than the instant noodles I used to make in the lab," Lin Wei inhaled deeply.

Su Ling lowered her head, sipping the soup slowly. It was a little salty, but she didn't comment. When she set the cup down, her voice was quiet: "It's been a long time since I felt this... secure."

The carriage grew quiet. Only the stove fire crackled softly in the small cooktop. Outside was the Ice Plain; the wind hitting the vehicle was a low sound. But here, the lights were on, and the walls were warm.

Chen Wang looked at them. "Does anyone think we're too relaxed?"

No one answered.

"We aren't indulging ourselves," he said. "We are rebuilding order. Only by having a place to sleep and eat can we fight."

Lin Wei nodded. "Next, I plan to add grow lights, so we can eat vegetables later."

Su Wan said, "The medical pod also needs to be connected to an air filtration system to reduce the risk of infection."

Su Ling looked out the window. It was pitch black outside; nothing was visible. She said, "As long as the lights are on, we have direction."

Everyone fell silent. The soup was finished, and the cups were put away. Lin Wei yawned and lay down in her booth seat. Her notebook was spread on her lap, and she sketched a few lines for an ecological garden design. She only realized the pen had fallen onto the blanket when it happened, so she closed the notebook and shut her eyes to sleep.

Su Wan returned to the medical bed and opened her logbook. After writing the final line, "Final Report on Neural Barrier Membrane Human Compatibility Test," her pen stopped, and her hand slowly dropped.

Chen Wang checked the system. The space expansion progress was stalled at 48%. He turned off the main lights, leaving only a small nightlight. The sound of the heating circulation was faint, like breathing.

He sat in the driver's seat, his hand resting on the emergency repair button, not moving it.

Su Ling's gun was hidden beneath her pillow. The plush rabbit was tucked into the backpack compartment, only one ear showing. She turned onto her side, her breathing gradually evening out.

Lin Wei curled up in the booth seat, blueprints piled near her feet. Her fingers twitched slightly, as if she were still drawing.

Su Wan's notebook slid to the edge of the bed, its pages lifted. She was already asleep, her hand still draped over the bedside.

It was quiet outside the vehicle. The black tide warning had not yet sounded. The camp rested on the Ice Plain; the wuling divine vehicle sat silently, like a moving cabin.

Chen Wang took a final look at the kindling system.

The progress bar wasn't moving.

He closed his eyes.

The sound of water in the heating pipes continued.

Lin Wei's pen rolled off the blanket.

The pen cap hit the metal floor, making a soft clink.