Dad's Magic

Upon hearing that they would eat first, Anna's eyes sparkled with anticipation. She held her breath and watched as Dan opened a pack of compressed biscuits.

Although these biscuits were well past their expiration date, compared to starving, eating this antique-level expired food posed little concern.

After all, this option was far preferable to consuming unknown and potentially dangerous roots!

Dan unsealed the packaging, found some stainless steel bowls to clean, and soaked the compressed biscuits in water, adding a touch of honey. He then handed a bowl to Anna, who stared at the bowl of compressed biscuits, utterly mesmerized.

This food was unlike anything she had ever seen …or tasted.

Anna had never experienced such a meal, but when she took her first bite...

An indescribable combination of starch and richness exploded in her mouth. The sweetness of honey and the pure taste of water continually tantalized her taste buds.

Dan smiled as he looked at his own bowl, feeling melancholy. It was not so long ago he was surviving just on instant noodles. He unknowingly smiled as he watch the young girl relish her food with delight. 

Anna was overcome with excitement, her taste buds encountering flavors she had never experienced before.

"I've never tasted anything so delicious in my life!" she exclaimed, unable to restrain her enthusiasm. She drank eagerly, savoring every bite. The food in front of her surpassed any culinary experience she had ever known.

Could this truly be food?

The notion baffled her—how could something be so incredibly tasty?

The young girl's heart was repeatedly astonished by the sheer deliciousness of the meal.

In Dan's eyes, however, this dish was merely a bowl of mush—a compressed biscuit with an overpowering taste of expiration, even when soaked in honey. It remained unappetizing, difficult to swallow down.

Having consumed half of his own bowl, Dan couldn't bear to eat any more. But Anna's bowl was already empty, and she continued to lick it clean, afraid of missing even a single drop.

After the little girl finished her meal, her gaze shifted to Dan's hand. As she looked at him, her mouth couldn't help but water with desire.

Dan observed the child and the item in his hand, a smile gracing his lips as he handed it to her. "You can have it."

Anna immediately shook her head, whispering, "I'm not hungry, Dad, you eat it. I've had enough."

"I'm full; eat these!" Dan insisted.

Anna's attention remained glued to the bowl, betraying her true feelings. Dan passed the bowl to her, and within seconds, she devoured every last morsel, leaving it spotlessly clean.

Watching Anna's determination, Dan felt a pang of discomfort. She was too young to endure such hardships. This life. It was more than just hard. It was… sad.

Seeing that Anna was now full, a smile appeared on Dan's face. However, he was concerned about the darkness within the base. Prolonged exposure to such dim conditions could undoubtedly harm their eyesight, and no amount of torchlight would help.

Fortunately, the base was equipped with lighting facilities. Dan decided to investigate the power supply within the base, hoping to find a solution to their lighting dilemma.

Now that their hunger was sated, the two began to explore further. In the innermost utility room, they discovered a small downward passage. Upon opening it, they felt the dampness below. Ordinary people would find it impossible to venture into such darkness without adequate lighting. However, Dan was different. Thanks to his genetic enhancement, his night vision capabilities had significantly improved. Climbing down was effortless, making their descent into the unknown depths much more manageable.

"Stay here," he told Anna.

Dan could see clearly underfoot, almost as well as during daylight, although the colors in his field of vision appeared slightly subdued.

He followed the ladder to its conclusion and found himself in an underground cavern. To his amazement, the massive underground chamber revealed itself as an artificial lake, entirely enclosed. The origin and destination of the water remained a mystery.

Near a corner, Dan spotted an opening marked as a hydroelectric generator set.

"Is this for real?" he muttered to himself in excitement.

As he ventured inside, he was met with an astonishing sight. The generator was not particularly large, constructed from an unfamiliar material that left him perplexed. Its size seemed limited due to the material used in its construction, and a staircase led to an upper level.

Ascending the staircase, Dan entered a vast space filled with pipes, each bearing labeled switches. Here, he also encountered a fuel generator.

A fuel pipeline ran alongside the generator, and a descending channel was visible to one side, likely leading beneath the floor.

Dan proceeded to open the door and descended to discover a substantial hydroelectric generator. However, the mechanism's starting method eluded him, as no apparent switch could be located.

It became evident that this was the primary generator, with the generators next to the underground lake serving as small emergency backups. These smaller units featured relatively limited power capacity but were distinguished by their corrosion-resistant and robust structures.

Dan decided to attempt starting the oil-fired generator. He suspected it might serve as a means to initiate the larger water generator below. If his hunch was correct, it would represent a hybrid generator system. Due to the challenge of supplying fuel, they likely utilized the smaller oil-fired generators to supplement the electricity demand of the substantial generators beneath. This was potentially facilitated by directing water from below through a method or facility to generate electricity.

However, the specific method remained elusive to Dan; it certainly wasn't a perpetual motion machine, but rather a hybrid generator designed to conserve fuel.

His initial attempt to start the main generator yielded no response. Faced with this silence, Dan surmised that he should try the backup generators situated below.

Returning to the generators, Dan activated the backup units. Their rumbling echoed through the space, indicating the reawakening of essential equipment within the base. These were the fundamental systems necessary for habitation.

Determined to locate the master control switch, Dan scoured the darkness. Eventually, his search led him to a metal door in an upstairs room of the generator area.

Struggling, he managed to pry open the door, revealing a surprisingly spacious passage.

"An escape route!" Dan thought, excitement surging through him. The passage appeared broader, leading to an iron gate. Upon opening the gate, he found a bunker outside, its location perfectly aligned with the oil storage depot on the nearby hillside.

While the security door seemed designed to function as a closed-door mechanism, it appeared temporarily ineffective. To bolster the security, Dan improvised by securing the door with an iron rod.

Another passageway branched off from the corner, lined with empty rooms on either side. At the end, a staircase ascended to a corridor where the rooms had expanded considerably. These spaces now resembled barracks.

Reaching the end of the corridor, Dan encountered a door blocked by a cabinet. With a well-aimed kick, he toppled the cabinet, and the sound stirred activity within one of the rooms. Curiosity piqued, Anna darted toward the source of the noise.

"Dad, how did you get out of here?" The little girl was brimming with questions, perplexed about her father's sudden appearance. After all, he had been descending, not ascending.

Sigh… she didn't listen… Dan felt miffed a little, concerned. 

"Come on, give me your hand." Dan smiled warmly, extending his hand to lift her up. Turning around, the father and daughter stepped into the barracks. As Dan beheld the roomy space and the rows of beds inside, he enthusiastically announced to Anna, "Starting today, we live here. Everything we need is right here; we don't have to go back."

The little girl looked at the bunk beds with wide-eyed curiosity, a sight she had never encountered before. "Dad, what are these?"

"They're called beds, and they're bunk beds. You can sleep on the top or bottom. Just wait," Dan explained.

Approaching a cabinet, he opened its sturdy stainless steel door, marveling at the quality. The cabinet's construction indicated that this place was no ordinary military camp but some kind of specialized facility.

Inside, Dan found several sets of vacuum-sealed quilts, each labeled with faded names. Taking Anna, he collected the oxidized bedding to use as fuel, then replaced it with a fresh set. The little girl hesitated, afraid of dirtying the new bedding. Dan reassured her with a smile, gently taking her hand, and said, "Go on, I'll take you for a bath. Once you're clean, you won't get dirty!"

"But where can we take a shower? The nearest river is infested with mutant beasts, and there's no rain..." Anna asked, bewildered.

Dan affectionately patted her head and replied, "Wait here for a moment; I'll be right back. Dad will perform some magic for you!"

"Magic? What's that, Dad?" The little girl gazed at Dan with wide-eyed wonder. Dan grinned and teased, "You'll find out soon enough."

Stepping out, Dan discovered that the master control switch was in the barracks' duty room.

With a determined push, he activated the switch.

Instantly, the entire room lit up.

Anna instinctively closed her eyes, overwhelmed by the sudden brightness. When she opened them again, she found the room bathed in light.

The spacious room was now illuminated, its beds neatly arranged. Overwhelmed, Anna covered her mouth with her tiny hands, tears of joy streaming down her face.

"Dad's magic is truly amazing..."