The seasons turned, and it was now early summer.
The weather grew warmer.
The sun rose slowly over the horizon, its morning rays cascading like silk, painting the earth with radiant hues and banishing the darkness and chill of night.
On the scorched land, small green sprouts emerged. Each delicate bud was adorned with glistening dewdrops, trembling lightly and radiating life's resilience. One couldn't help but marvel at the tenacity of life.
Even the ruins of broken walls and rubble seemed to gain a touch of vitality.
Mo Chen had risen early in the operations command room.
Sitting at his desk, he leaned over, writing something.
The command room was silent except for the scratching sound of the pen gliding across the paper.
Mo Chen alternated between writing and pausing, contemplating before continuing.
What he was drafting was the Universal Human Law—a legal framework granting Nikkes equal rights with humans.
Initially, he thought it would be simple: write it and be done. But when he started, he realized how complex legislation could be.
It required meticulous consideration of all aspects, drafting comprehensive rules and provisions, and ensuring airtight wording to prevent loopholes.
Moreover, it involved delineating responsibilities, establishing enforcement measures, and specifying penalties.
The task was mentally exhausting.
Mo Chen rubbed his temples, set down his pen, and reached for his tea, only to find it had gone cold.
Since his arrival at the outpost, which had suffered severe damage from continuous conflicts, Mo Chen had been swamped with work, tirelessly rebuilding and managing the base.
The first issue was the infrastructure.
During the previous battles, missiles had devastated the base, with many buildings reduced to ruins under the impact of explosions.
Even structures that hadn't collapsed but were on the verge of doing so were marked as hazardous.
Mo Chen had personally inspected these conditions and found them dire.
Even such unsafe buildings still housed Nikkes.
He immediately ordered the evacuation of all hazardous structures, marking them with warning banners.
But merely banning occupancy didn't solve the problem.
Mo Chen then issued orders to expedite the construction of new housing and residential areas.
Construction required vast quantities of building materials like timber and reinforced concrete.
However, supply lines to the outpost had been cut off. Relying on Ark's provisions was wishful thinking.
Fortunately, Mo Chen had anticipated this.
He deployed a repurposed Grave Digger—a drill-like Rapture he had previously controlled with the Punishing Virus—to mine resources.
Grave Digger, originally a drilling machine turned Rapture, now fulfilled its former role under Mo Chen's command, embodying the saying "finding value in adversity."
Furthermore, the battlefield's Rapture debris was discreetly collected by Mo Chen's controlled Rapture units. After purging the Punishing Virus, the refined metals became excellent building materials.
A knock sounded on the door.
"Come in."
Rapi entered, carrying a cup of tea. She noticed Mo Chen still at work and advised gently:
"Commander, you haven't rested for days. If you keep this up, you'll get sick."
Mo Chen accepted the tea, chuckling dismissively.
"I'm not that fragile."
After being strengthened by the Punishing Virus and Blacklight Virus, Mo Chen's physical resilience had reached an almost absurd level—even artillery fire wouldn't kill him.
"How's the construction going?"
Rapi pulled up the latest reports on the base's progress. She had been tirelessly coordinating efforts over the past few days.
"As of yesterday, the outer walls, bunkers, and turrets have been completed. The high-energy particle cannons have also been repaired. Other facilities, including the hospital and residential areas, are still under construction and should be ready in about half a month."
"Good."
Mo Chen nodded slightly, tea in hand. The progress was faster than expected.
Another critical task was the roads.
To prosper, one must first build roads: infrastructure was essential.
Most importantly, establishing a safe route to Ark was imperative. This would eliminate the need for armed escorts for material transportation, streamlining logistics.
Suddenly, Rapi spoke up.
"Commander, I have a suggestion about something."
Mo Chen was intrigued.
"A suggestion? That's rare. Let's hear it."
Rapi's expression grew serious.
"The Commander's Quarters is the place where the commander resides and rests. It is a private area and should not be disturbed by other Nikkes. They must not occupy the commander's residence," Rapi said.
"Oh, you're talking about that," Mo Chen responded, as if realizing something, and chuckled. "It's not a big deal. I allowed them to stay there."
The previously occupied dormitory was destroyed during the battles. Even if it hadn't been destroyed, the living conditions were terrible: no water, no electricity, filthy and chaotic, and without even a proper place to shower or bathe. Compared to the outer zone slums, the dormitory seemed even more unlivable.
Although Nikkes had grown accustomed to such poor living conditions over the decades, Mo Chen couldn't bear to let them suffer further.
Thus, he offered his Commander's Quarters, including the luxurious villas meant for the commander, to the Nikkes to live in. He himself moved into the Operations Command Room.
He had never been particularly picky. The Command Room had everything necessary, including a sofa to sleep on.
Rapi, however, frowned slightly, clearly disapproving of this arrangement. "I understand your care for the Nikkes, but as the commander, you need better living conditions."
"This tea is quite nice. High-grade stuff from Royal Road, isn't it?" Mo Chen tried to change the subject.
"Please don't try to distract me, Commander."
Seeing Rapi so earnest, he sighed in resignation. "That place is too large for just one person. It's wasteful for me to keep it to myself when more people could benefit. Once the residential zone is built, I'll move back there."
To him, it was truly a minor issue.
Rapi still didn't agree with his decision. "This won't do. Only in a comfortable environment can the commander maintain sufficient energy."
Mo Chen shrugged helplessly. "Even if I stay in the Commander's Quarters, Anis and Neon often drop by as if it's their personal hangout. Rest isn't that easy anyway."
Not to mention Anis, who frequently barged in without knocking and jumped on him. It was a constant distraction.
"Alright, let's leave it at that," Rapi relented.
"Huh? Wait, what did you just say?" Mo Chen, puzzled by the sudden shift, looked at Rapi in confusion.
The abrupt change left Mo Chen momentarily stunned. "I've changed my mind. It's better for the commander to remain in the Command Room," Rapi said firmly.
"..."
Mo Chen could only sigh and mutter internally: A woman's heart truly is a deep ocean.