Soon, the two Servitors assigned by Sekhmet arrived on time, silently gliding into the living quarters and unloading the first batch of upgraded supplies.
The sight before them drew everyone closer—no longer the monotonous gray sealed packages, but burlap sacks of flour and beans with rough textures, emitting a faint aroma of grains.
Sealed metal cans contained processed synthetic protein bases, still industrial products, but at least in the form of ingredients.
Several bottles of dark-colored fermented alcoholic beverage labeled "Amasac" were carefully placed in a corner, and there was even a small batch of dehydrated vegetables and basic seasonings, including salt, pepper, and several dried herbs.
The most pleasant surprise was the portable heating stove and a set of basic cooking utensils, simple yet signifying that they could finally cook for themselves.
"Come on, everyone, move aside!" Jackie immediately became active, rolling up his sleeves and displaying the street survival wisdom unique to Heywood District.
He directed Pilar and Rebecca to separate the flour and water, had David look after the stove fire, and Dorio began to process the dehydrated vegetables.
Even Kiwi, who usually kept to herself, silently took over the task of organizing the seasonings.
Valerie stood a little further away, watching the busy scene, a faint smile unconsciously gracing her lips.
She picked up a can of synthetic protein base, skillfully opened the seal, added an appropriate amount of water and seasonings to marinate it—this action made her feel as if she had returned to the well-equipped small kitchens in the Arasaka Tower.
Soon after, for the first time, the unique aroma of cooking food wafted through the living quarters—the toasted scent of flour baking on the hot plate, the warm aroma emanating from simmering stews in the pot.
This smell, full of life, formed a strange contrast with the cold metal walls and the ever-present smell of oil in the air, yet it made everyone feel a long-lost warmth, a true sense of "being alive."
The atmosphere reached its peak when simple stews and baked flatbreads were distributed to everyone.
Maine took a bite of the hot flatbread, his eyes narrowing in satisfaction; Rebecca sipped the stew in small mouthfuls as if savoring a delicacy; Pilar had already eagerly poured himself a glass of Amasec, and despite grimacing at its unique bitter taste, he smiled and took another sip.
"This is a million times better than nutrient paste," Jackie said, his mouth full of food, causing everyone to laugh.
In this corner, which had previously only echoed with the sound of machinery, for the first time, there were lighthearted conversations and even occasional bursts of genuine laughter.
The improvement in living conditions was immediate.
Not only Jackie and Valerie, but the morale of the entire Maine's crew was significantly boosted.
Rebecca no longer spent all day cooped up in bed, and Pilar's words became noticeably more frequent.
Even the usually steady Maine relaxed his brows while enjoying this simple but heartfelt meal.
The sense of oppression and irritability caused by the extreme discomfort of the environment was effectively alleviated, and they no longer harbored their initial reluctance towards the work they needed to cooperate on.
When Osiris observed through monitoring data in the laboratory that the team members' physiological indicators were stabilizing and stress hormone levels were significantly decreasing, his logic core confirmed a fact: appropriate material support could indeed optimize the team's working state.
This seemingly irrational satisfaction of needs, in turn, became an effective catalyst for improving project efficiency.
—
Meanwhile, in the core laboratory, Osiris had already sent the organized, massive technical data package for the "iron guard" project, via the highest-level encrypted link, to the designated receiving port of Fabricator-General Vox.
Almost simultaneously, he also received a confirmation message from Sekhmet—the intelligently controlled machine squad, comprising two death-grade automated machine soldiers, had been officially dispatched from the Forge World's core armory and was being escorted by a dedicated transport team to his designated receiving point at the Death World Base.
The gears of power, with the completion of the agreement, began to precisely mesh and accelerate their operation.
He stood before the main control console, his crimson optical lenses gazing at the dark red power armor, enveloped by layers of structural wireframes and data streams in the holographic projection.
The Forge World's long-dormant colossal war machine had already begun to emit a low preheating roar due to the injection of this technology.
A massive chain of interest was interlocking before his eyes, and the latent energy of politics and economics, like an activated circuit, began to flow.
The "fuel" he had invested had been successfully ignited, and now, it was time to observe how brightly this flame would burn, and what light and heat it would bring to him, and to the entire Neksum Forge World.
His core thought process did not dwell on the current situation but immediately turned to the next step of concrete planning. The data interface reconnected to the control console, and a series of new commands were rapidly issued:
"Notify Tech-Priest teams 'Delta-7' and 'Epsilon-3' that the project kickoff meeting will be held in Analysis Room Seven in three standard hours. They are required to bring their respective specialized assessment tools and preliminary resource lists."
"Grant Valerie and Jackie Welles Level 3 laboratory area access, limited to the power armor testing zone, basic maintenance bays, and designated living quarters. Simultaneously, elevate their physiological data monitoring priority to 'Project Key Personnel' level."
"Connect to the Death World Base main control system and plan the deployment scheme for the intelligently controlled machine squad upon arrival. Prioritize strengthening the defense of the relic entrance and the alert network in the core area where the dimensional teleporter is located. Death-grade automated machine soldiers must be deployed at strategic nodes to form crossfire."
The commands were silently recorded and distributed by the servo-skull.
Osiris could feel a small network of power and execution, centered around him and focused on the "iron guard" project, rapidly weaving and taking shape.
He was not only the provider of the technology but also the engine and helmsman of the entire project.
He brought up the internal maps and resource allocation charts of the Forge World, his gaze falling on several semi-idle test fields and auxiliary processing workshops.
These, as the project progressed, would be gradually activated and utilized under his authority.
The agreement with Vox brought not only paper profits but also the leverage to mobilize the colossal power of the Forge World itself.
Next, it was time to raise the heavy hammer and begin the true forging.
Though Osiris' metal faceplate showed no expression, his steadily burning crimson optical lenses seemed to already reflect the roaring production lines of the future, the formation of steel behemoths, and the storm this would unleash, sweeping across the entire Imperial military equipment sector.