I'm playing Frostpunk in Arknights

Wang Zhan scrolled his mouse wheel, fixing his view on the abandoned village on the west side of the canyon. Clicking on one of the houses, he noted it could be dismantled for 50 units of wood and 10 units of steel. There were dozens of such houses—a jackpot for early-stage construction.

"Alina, next we'll dismantle the village to the west," Wang Zhan said, assigning 15 people to the task by clicking on the workforce panel. He repeated this process for another house, distributing the workforce until all 90 workers were assigned.

"It's time to get to work, everyone," Alina said, pointing towards the abandoned village. Internally, she wondered how to persuade infected individuals unwilling to work. To her surprise, those selected by Wang Zhan had already formed a team, exchanged a few words, and started heading to their assigned positions.

Things were progressing so smoothly that it felt unsettling to Alina. She had expected more resistance and felt oddly useless.

Was she just a mascot now?

That wouldn't do!

"I'm the spokesperson for Mr. Energy Tower. How can I sit idly?"

"Alina, I'll be issuing a decree next, and I need you to communicate it to everyone," Wang Zhan said, opening the decree panel. As always, it displayed only the "Adjustment" branch. In the base game, other branches only unlocked after triggering special events. What kind of special events would this DLC have?

Curiosity aside, Wang Zhan focused on the task at hand. The DLC decree tree didn't differ much from the base game, but it added a new "Work Meals" option under the food category. Only the first-level decrees were fully visible; the second-level ones were shrouded in shadows.

Wang Zhan needed to unlock the "Extended Work Hours" decree. With only three engineers available for constant work, advancing technology required either extended shifts or recruiting more engineers. Recruitment, however, was a long-term solution, unsuitable for immediate needs. Extending work hours was the only viable option.

"A decree?"

Was this what Mr. Energy Tower had referred to as rules? It seemed much more formal than Alina had expected.

Alina's excitement grew. She couldn't wait to see everyone's reactions.

The first decree, [Emergency Shifts], required 18 hours to cool down before unlocking [Extended Work Hours]. Wang Zhan hesitated, knowing this decree would likely draw complaints—after all, who wanted to work for 24 straight hours?

"Alina, the decree I'm about to issue is called Emergency Shifts. It will require a workplace to operate for 24 consecutive hours."

Hmm… This wasn't what Alina had imagined.

Unaware of the decree tree's peculiar design requiring Emergency Shifts to unlock Extended Work Hours, Alina listened as Wang Zhan explained, "This decree is for emergencies. Before extreme weather hits, we need to work overtime to produce essential supplies."

Wang Zhan rarely used this decree in his games because it significantly increased dissatisfaction and could even result in deaths.

"I understand, Mr. Energy Tower."

While it seemed challenging to explain, Alina trusted Mr. Energy Tower's good intentions and believed she could convey his benevolence.

"Good luck, Alina," Wang Zhan thought, feeling a mix of guilt and admiration.

"Whether laws are good or bad, they are meant to ensure the survival of society," Alina said, recalling lessons from Ursus textbooks. "Your intentions are for our well-being, right?"

Wang Zhan nodded meekly, feeling oddly like a student being scolded by a teacher.

"Go ahead, Alina."

Wang Zhan turned his view back to the Energy Tower as Alina's small figure disappeared into the distance.

"A new decree has been issued! Everyone, please listen!"

Alina stood at the village's edge while Wang Zhan monitored the situation and continued planning constructions.

"Mr. Energy Tower has issued a new decree..."

The mention of a decree immediately made everyone tense. Was the Energy Tower going to oppress the infected too?

Sensing the growing tension, Alina, who had experience as a teacher, quickly took control of the situation. "To address emergencies, Mr. Energy Tower has issued the [Emergency Shifts] decree."

Behind Alina, a brightly lit green mess hall suddenly appeared near the Energy Tower. The crowd gasped, but Alina remained oblivious, assuming their reaction stemmed from dissatisfaction with the decree.

"Let me explain the details," Alina said, taking a deep breath. "Emergency Shifts require one workplace to operate for 24 consecutive hours. In extreme situations, Mr. Energy Tower may enforce overtime. Any questions?"

Another collective gasp erupted as 15 orderly tents materialized around the Energy Tower.

"Rest assured, Mr. Energy Tower will not punish anyone for voicing their concerns," Alina said.

After a pause, an elderly infected stepped forward. "Miss, we don't understand these laws. Just tell us—are they good for us?"

After a moment's thought, Alina glanced back at the Energy Tower, smiled, and replied, "No. Working 24 hours straight can kill people."

"Haha, but Miss Alina, it's for emergencies," said another infected. "If it's life or death, why wait for the Energy Tower to order us? I'd volunteer first!"

Laughter broke out, and Alina finally relaxed.

Yes, laws were rigid, but people were adaptable. A law's impact ultimately depended on Mr. Energy Tower's decisions.

Returning to Wang Zhan, Alina happily reported the decree's success. Contrary to expectations, dissatisfaction hadn't increased; instead, hope had risen.

"Looks like Alina really is a capable assistant," Wang Zhan thought.

Meanwhile, the infected worked diligently, gathering resources at an impressive rate. By evening, Wang Zhan estimated they'd be ready for the next phase of construction. However, the canyon's lack of coal resources remained a pressing issue.

As Wang Zhan strategized, he noticed the food supplies had unexpectedly increased.

In the birch forest to the south, Talulah and three infected warriors returned, carrying bulging sacks.

"Alina, where has Talulah been?" Wang Zhan asked.

"Probably gathering intelligence," Alina replied, spotting the familiar figures.