Moer led Bai Heng into the camp.
Between two rows of collapsed houses, a crude little factory stood alone on the plain beneath the night sky, like a fishing boat in a black, deep sea that could capsize into its depths at any moment.
The incandescent bulb hanging from the beam buzzed and flickered. In its constant blinking, a few black moths could occasionally be seen hovering beneath it.
On the path leading to the factory, Bai Heng carefully avoided the discarded drainage pipes and mechanical wreckage piled on the ground, so as not to make too much noise.
Within his field of vision, two mechs lay concealed among the ruins beneath the night, keeping constant watch over their surroundings.
As soon as they had approached the camp, their tracks had already been discovered by those two Molten Knights.
However, after noticing Moer beside Bai Heng, they stopped paying attention to this side and continued watching the low hills in the distance.
"Dongyi, we're back."
Moer pushed open the factory's main door.
The faint scraping of the iron door's bearings sounded especially piercing in the silent night.
The iron door swung wide open.
Several figures inside turned toward the doorway.
At that moment, a four-legged robot resembling a camera moved its long legs and crawled out from a pile of containers, leaping toward Moer like a spider.
"Kuyi~"
"Xiaoqi, haha, don't move around. That tickles."
Moer caught the robot named Xiaoqi, allowing its mechanical legs to rest on her shoulders.
The others also gathered around.
A girl with neat golden hair, wolf-ear accessories on her head, and resolute emerald eyes walked up to Moer.
She seemed somewhat averse to sentimental words. She merely wrinkled her nose and said,
"You didn't lose an arm or a leg, did you?"
"Nope, Dongyi.