I'm playing Frostpunk in Arknights

"What are you 'ah'ing about?" Gatling fell silent. Was this really as simple as they thought?

"If it's just overtime..."

Gatling calculated. If they started working overtime tonight, he'd have to stay in the workstation continuously until the storm arrived. That would amount to over 24 hours of work.

Though the human body has limits, it could still endure such a long stretch of work.

"It's not impossible," Gatling looked at the three skeptically, wondering if they had seriously considered the situation. "Are you really planning to do this? That's more than 20 straight hours of work!"

The three paused, swallowing nervously, then one of them challenged, "What, are you scared?"

Gatling chuckled. As a doctor, working long hours was routine for him. But these three? They'd likely never worked such long shifts. "Fine, let's go talk to Alina!"

Under the Generator, Alina's cheeks were flushed as she kept urging everyone to quiet down. However, the infected couldn't help but feel excited as they gazed at the tall shelters behind her. For many, it was their first time having access to two-story homes, and these were free to claim under the protection of the Generator. Who wouldn't be happy?

Carl maintained order on-site, trying to appear stern, but he couldn't stop himself from smiling. His cheerful expression amused the crowd, even as he warned them to step back.

"Alright, everyone, listen to me!"

A clear female voice rang out from the back of the crowd. Tallulah, noticing the number of people under the Generator, had decided to join in the excitement instead of resting.

"Line up properly—there's enough for everyone!"

The crowd quickly organized itself into a line in front of Alina. Tallulah approached her. "What's going on here?"

Alina held up a ledger she had prepared in her spare time. "Each shelter accommodates ten people, so it's best to organize the arrangements based on everyone's needs."

Tallulah was surprised. Back when the Generator was first set up, people just picked any available spot. "Why go through all this trouble?"

Looking at the infected, Alina replied softly, "The shelters are divided into single rooms, so we need to consider personal preferences."

"Personal preferences..."

Wang Zhan was as surprised as Tallulah. She might not care much about these things due to her time roaming the snowy plains. Wang Zhan, however, was startled because details like this weren't reflected in the game.

"For example, some people prefer quieter areas, while others want to live near their friends..."

Couldn't these problems be solved by letting them choose themselves?

That thought crossed Wang Zhan's mind, and Tallulah voiced the same. Alina, however, gently shook her head, her blue eyes deepening. "Tallulah, people are complicated."

"Alright, alright, our Alina is the best."

Tallulah teased her. Alina proudly placed her hands on her hips and let out a triumphant hum. "Of course, I'm the Generator's right-hand assistant."

"So unmodest," Tallulah quipped seriously. "The Generator is watching you!"

Puffing up her cheeks, Alina glanced at the Generator, tilting her head and blinking like a playful child.

Wang Zhan laughed, and Tallulah couldn't help but join in.

After a long day, she felt a little lighter.

"Feeling a bit better?"

Alina returned to her serious demeanor. "You've worked hard today. Go get some rest—I've got things covered here."

Tallulah nodded. She had full confidence in Alina's abilities but didn't enjoy being in the spotlight.

"Your room is in the shelter near the children's refuge. The kids are staying with us."

"Alright, I'll rest then."

Wang Zhan watched as Alina allocated rooms in the shelters one by one. Even after she finished, some people came to negotiate, taking another hour before everything was settled.

"All done," Wang Zhan smiled. "Alina, great work."

Surprised to see Wang Zhan still there, Alina looked pleased. "You've been watching me this whole time? Uh... I mean, thank you for the compliment."

As the crowd dispersed, Carl approached with his team to find Alina. "The Generator wanted me to gather opinions, and I've done so."

It was the hunters from the lodge—Wang Zhan had specifically asked Carl to collect their feedback.

Alina regained her focus and signaled Carl to continue. "Sasha's Arts made hunting much easier. These guys have become dependent on him and feel like losing him would be a big blow."

Alina said nothing. If Tallulah heard this, she might demand an explanation on the spot.

"Enli, however, was reasonable enough to warn them."

The dissatisfaction bar on the screen had dropped to a small sliver. When Wang Zhan hovered over it with the cursor, it read: "Unfulfilled Condition: Operate the Generator for 24 hours on the day of the storm."

It seemed Enli had his uses.

"Let's leave it at that for now, Alina," Wang Zhan said.

Alina nodded. "That works."

Carl chuckled. "Oh, and my room?"

"The shelter near the medical station, second floor, by the stairs," Alina replied, flipping through her ledger.

"Miss Alina," the four people from the workstation approached after most of the crowd had left. "We want to work overtime."

Overtime?

Wang Zhan wasn't thrilled—in fact, he was a bit alarmed. He'd already issued an overtime policy for the workstation. Why were these people still asking for more?

Did they have a death wish?

Before Wang Zhan could intervene, Alina asked, "Why do you want to work overtime? Isn't the workstation already operating overtime?"

She looked at them seriously. "If you work 24 hours straight, it could kill you!"

The group had considered this. Gatling explained directly, "We can handle it, especially since the workstation is warm. We heard Tallulah was swindled by a merchant, so we want to finish her tasks so she can recover what belongs to us."

So that's what this was about... Alina was taken aback, unsure if she should decide. This involved not just the workstation but also people's lives, resources, and Tallulah. She feared letting her emotions cloud her judgment.

Seeing her hesitation, everyone turned to the Generator.

Gatling found himself wondering when he had started taking the Generator's presence for granted.

"This is simple," Wang Zhan said. "The Generator has enough resources; there's no need to overextend."

"Besides, sending Tallulah to Zweiburg would take at least a day and a night. She might encounter the storm on her way back. And if she gets there, won't the merchant have countermeasures?"

Alina was startled, silently admiring Wang Zhan's thoroughness. He had even anticipated the risks Tallulah might face.

She relayed his reasoning to the group. Gatling agreed, while the others blushed in embarrassment.

"The storm arrives tomorrow. By evening, all our preparations will be complete."

But there was still the promise to assist Tallulah's guerrilla team. "However, there will be extra tasks for the workstation. We'll need your help."

"The guerrilla team's rescue efforts will depend on you," Alina told them earnestly. "Tomorrow night, you'll need to work overtime."

The four felt the weight of responsibility. For the first time, they sensed how many lives were intertwined with their efforts.

"Of course, with the storm approaching, everyone under the Generator has a duty. We can't justify resting."

Gatling's gaze was resolute. "We must work until the very last moment."

Wang Zhan suddenly remembered—he'd need the textile mill to work overtime too!