CHAPTER 203: CHAPTER 203: MIRA’S GOODBYE AND THE NEXT PHASE

Liora leaned back on the soft sofa, her body slowly melting into the cushions. The gentle blue light overhead bathed the room in a calming hue, and the faint fragrance helped ease her lingering fatigue.

"Mira," she said softly, "handle things for me. I’m going to stay here for a while."

["Okay~ Mira will take care of everything!"] The AI chirped, her voice as cheerful as ever. ["You worked hard today, Liora. Mira is proud!"]

Liora smiled at the praise.

["Then... rest well. Mira will see you later. Goodbyeee~"]

The sweet voice faded like a song carried away by a breeze. The virtual screen in front of Liora gently dimmed and disappeared, leaving the room silent once more.

Liora let out a soft sigh.

She glanced up at the ceiling.

"I should probably upgrade the base too," she murmured to herself.

Some days ago, her base had already reached Level 3. But even with that, she felt it still wasn’t enough. There were more people now, more buildings, and more responsibilities.

And this world... wasn’t getting any safer.

With that thought, she opened her system interface and tapped into the base panel.

[Base Information Panel]

Base Name: Dawn Base

Base Owner: Liora

Current Level: Lv.3 (Upgraded)

Area: 35 square kilometers

Residential Population: 389 people

Number of Residential Buildings: 20

Number of Functional Buildings: 5/7

Defense Level: Mediocre

She exhaled slowly and tapped on the upgrade tab.

Her eyes scanned the new mission that appeared on the screen.

[Main Mission · Base Upgrade (Phase 3)] Activated!

Next Goal: Upgrade to Lv. 4

[As your base continues to grow, it is time to reach new heights. Prepare the Dawn Base for its next evolution by improving facilities, reinforcing defense, and enhancing resident welfare.]

Mission Objectives:

Functional Buildings Registered: 5/7

→ [Goal Met] Maintain this number or higher.

Add 1 Defense-Oriented Building

→ Build or activate any one structure such as a watchtower, sentry post, or defense hub.

Increase the number of residents in the base to 1000 residents.

Expand storage capacity by 30%.

(Current Capacity: 10,000 units)

→ Upgrade or build one storage facility module.

Rewards Upon Completion:

Base Experience +800

Lv.4 Upgrade License ×1

Guard Uniform Set ×100

Canteen Expansion Blueprint ×1

Energy Module (Small) ×2

Special Lottery Ticket ×1 (Guaranteed Development Reward)

Liora narrowed her eyes thoughtfully.

"Hmm... not bad," she whispered.

The tasks weren’t too hard. Nothing like last time. No strange or impossible goals either.

Most of it focused on stability—just like how she wanted it.

She scrolled the screen a little more, her fingers gliding across the transparent interface. Her eyes remained steady, and her heart felt a little bit more at ease.

They were growing—bit by bit.

Her base was becoming something real.

And with the system by her side and people standing behind her... it didn’t feel as heavy as before.

She glanced toward the empty tray on the table, the warmth from the soup still lingering on her tongue.

"Let’s get to work tonight," she said softly to herself, letting her eyes close. She had decided to do development tonight and add new buildings to the base, so a good sleep was a must, and after all, she had also not slept well the previous night.

Liora had no idea when her eyes closed.

The softness of the sofa, the warmth of the meal, and the calming light in the room had lulled her into the most peaceful nap she had taken in days. She didn’t dream; neither did she toss or turn. It was simply sleep, deep and restful.

When she stirred again, her body felt light. The tension in her shoulders was gone. Her head didn’t ache anymore. Slowly, she blinked open her eyes.

"System," she mumbled, still half-asleep. "What time is it?"

[System Notice: It is currently 12:03 AM. The host has slept for 9 hours and 47 minutes.]

Liora sat up straight.

"What?"

She rubbed her eyes and looked around. The room still looked the same—soft glowing light, silent air, the same peaceful atmosphere. No sun, no moon, no clock. There were no hints of passing time here at all.

"I... really slept through everything," she muttered, stunned.

She glanced at the table and froze.

The empty tray from before was gone.

In its place was a new tray, still steaming with fresh food. A bowl of hearty stew, thick and rich with chunks of vegetables and meat. A warm buttered roll with a golden crust. A cool glass of what looked like fruit-infused tea. The scent wafting from the food made her stomach growl instantly.

Just as she stared at it in disbelief, a familiar sweet voice chimed.

["Mira knows Liora is waking up~ So I prepared dinner for you!"] the AI’s voice rang playfully. ["The base canteen is already closed, and the food’s all gone. Liora would’ve gone hungry! That can’t happen~"]

Liora smiled without meaning to.

"Mira... thank you."

["Hehe~ Enjoy your meal~"]

Without wasting another second, Liora picked up her spoon and began eating. The stew was still hot, perfectly seasoned, and melted in her mouth. The bread was fluffy on the inside, with a crisp edge. The drink was cooling and smooth.

She didn’t take long to finish it all.

When the last bite was done, she wiped her mouth and stood up. Her energy was back.

"I should head back now."

She left the second floor of the Base Management Hall quietly. The teleportation shimmer carried her back to her private room.

Inside, it was still dark and peaceful.

Liora walked to the window and pulled the curtain aside. She looked out across her base.

Most buildings were dark. The lights were off. People had gone to sleep. The entire place looked still... calm.

But she knew, even now, some were still awake. Doing chores. Worrying. Or simply unable to rest.

That wouldn’t do.

"System," she called softly. "Activate Rest Mode. Help everyone fall asleep peacefully."

[Command Received: Activating Rest Mode for all residents inside Dawn Base.]

An invisible energy spread across the base.

One by one, people who had been awake felt their eyelids grow heavy. Hands paused mid-task. Eyes fluttered. Thoughts slowed. Whether they were on patrol, cleaning dishes, fixing gear, or pacing in their rooms—they all gently drifted to sleep.

Peaceful, dreamless sleep.