CHAPTER 201: CHAPTER 201: THE BASE LORD’S SECRET SPACE

Liora walked back towards her house and then silently she slipped into her room without anyone’s notice. No one noticed her slipping into the house because most of them were still at the canteen, and some of them were at different places, trying their best to do their work.

She did not want any of her friends to notice that she actually came back to her room because she had decided to teleport into the second floor of the base management hall.

The second floor of the base management hall is off-limits to everyone aside from the base lord. Even she did not know about this second floor at first because it was practically locked before she upgraded her base to level 3.

Today, she was going to visit the second floor again, but the problem is she could not go there in broad daylight. It would be hard to explain... why only she could go there and not others... and what if someone tried to break their way in during her absence? So it’s better that they don’t know the existence of the second floor, and she is not afraid they would find out because the building from outside does not look like it has a second floor at all.

It was just a simple square building without any windows or anything. Only a big screen above the entrance of the management hall.

"I really don’t want to waste a high-grade crystal core for just a short distance..." she muttered to herself, frowning as she stared at the slot in the ball meant for the core. "But I can’t walk to the management hall like this either. It’s too risky. If someone sees me going in and doesn’t see me coming out... it’ll raise suspicion."

"Guess I have no other choice—"

[Ding!]

[System Notice: Host is now permitted to directly teleport to any unlocked base building using system authority. No need to use teleportation ball.]

Liora blinked. "...What?"

[Would you like to teleport to Base Management Hall – Second Floor?]

Liora paused at the sudden chime of the system, but then she smiled faintly, tucking the teleportation ball back into her coat.

"You should’ve told me that earlier," she muttered with a chuckle. "Yes. Let’s go."

[Teleportation Initiated...]

In an instant, the world around her shimmered like water. Her room blurred, twisting and folding like a sheet in the wind.

But she was no longer in her room.

Liora now stood in the second floor of the base management hall.

The second floor of the base management hall was just as quiet and plain as always.

A single soft blue light glowed from the ceiling, casting a cool tone across the entire room. There were no windows, no doors, and no sounds beyond the gentle hum of purified air circulating through hidden vents.

The air smelled fresh, with a light, pleasant fragrance that reminded Liora of morning dew after rain. The room itself was nearly empty.

There were no monitors, screens, strange machines, or futuristic equipment.

Only a plain white table stood in the center with a simple beige sofa beside it. And on the table sat a tray neatly arranged with warm, inviting food.

A steaming cup of mushroom soup, a small roasted root sandwich with herb spread, two grilled skewer sticks—one of tender spiced meat and another of colorful, chewy vegetables—and a crystal-clear drink with slices of cooling fruit floating in it.

Liora wasn’t surprised. She had been here once before, after the base upgraded to Level 3. She already knew that despite the second floor being hidden and off-limits to everyone else, it didn’t look like anything special. In fact, it looked like a resting room... but for her alone.

And whenever she arrived here, the food always greeted her. After asking the system, she got to know that it was just the perk of the base management hall... the technology is built like that. Always trying to cater their best, whether it’s in managing the base or taking care of their lord.

She was already very happy with this base management hall that she even gave 5 stars to this module in the system mall.

She let out a long breath and quietly took her seat on the sofa. Her body sank slightly into the soft cushion, and for a moment she let herself relax.

Grrrrr—

Her stomach growled loud enough to echo faintly through the empty room.

Liora blinked, then stared at her belly with a dry laugh. "Right... I didn’t eat anything today."

After waking up that morning, she had gone straight to the canteen to relieve the people. Then that whole incident with Lang Yao had exploded. And afterward, she had directly come here to issue the guard recruitment mission... It had been non-stop.

She hadn’t had even a bite of food.

Without another word, she picked up one of the skewers and took a bite. The meat was tender, juicy, and infused with a smoky, peppery flavor that melted on her tongue.

Her eyes softened.

"Still so good..."

Next, she took a sip of the soup. It was earthy and rich, the mushroom flavor perfectly balanced with a hint of garlic and cream. It warmed her from the inside, easing the knot of tension in her chest.

Then the sandwich—soft, slightly sweet bread paired with a herby filling that reminded her of something gentle in flavor. It was truly comfort food.

She looked at the drink. Cool, refreshing, faintly citrusy with a gentle sparkle as if the fruit had been touched with a trace of energy. It soothed her dry throat better than any water ever could.

She smiled faintly.

Liora had long known that anything made by the system had a unique touch. She discovered that long ago, on the day she first tasted the instant noodles in the early days. Since then, she had trusted that anything generated from the system would not only sustain but also comfort the soul.

Even these simple-looking items in front of her now... they were better than most things she had eaten since the world ended. They weren’t luxury meals, but they brought a sense of peace.

She slowly chewed, feeling her body relax a little with each bite.

Just as she finished her meal, a soft melodious voice rang, even though it was the same as the system voice, but in a female version and felt more gentle.

[Base Management Hall Active]

["Welcome back, Liora."]

Liora glanced up, unsurprised but comforted. A small smile touched her lips.

"Oh, Mira. You’re awake."