CHAPTER 208: CHAPTER 208: ENTER THE FORTIFIED GROUNDS

A soft blue light glowed along the floor, creating a path into the store. The first five people were allowed inside. The rest murmured in awe as they watched.

Inside the store, a soft AI voice greeted the shoppers warmly.

["Hello, resident! I’m your in-store assistant. You can pick one basket from the wall to your left. Please follow the glowing line to explore the shelves."]

The shelves gleamed with newly arranged goods. Everything was neatly placed, labeled with soft holographic text above each item. It was unlike anything they’d expected.

One man stared at a pack of toothbrushes as if he couldn’t believe it was real. "We haven’t had new hygiene stuff in weeks. And look—it’s not even rationed like the first days!"

A woman nearby was tearing up at the sight of sanitary napkins.

"About time we had these," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I thought I’d have to make do with rags forever."

Others crowded the shelves with gasps and excited chatter.

"This handwash smells like lemon! Actual lemon!"

"Are those flowerpots? Real flowerpots?"

"Oh gods, this is a full cutlery set—I haven’t eaten with a fork since the first evacuation!"

Meanwhile, outside the line kept growing.

Liang Zihan stood in front of the crowd with his arms crossed, wearing his usual half-scowl.

"So this is what she was doing all night," he muttered, though his lips twitched slightly upward. "Hmph... she must be working hard with our Lord."

Beside him, Zhou Yinuo leaned forward to peek into the windows. "The shelves look half full already! I hope there’s still some left when it’s our turn..."

Yan Lin was less patient. "Ugh, how long are they taking in there? I want to go in and grab one of those flowerpots. My window needs something green."

Yun Shou, always the calmest among them, chuckled. "Relax. If Lord Atlas built this, I’m sure he stocked enough for everyone. And don’t forget, if the front door is closed, we could always access the back door." He said it with a meaningful tone.

Zihan tilted his head slightly. "Have you wondered why Liora did not ask for our help? Is it because Lord Atlas only trusts her and not us? But because of this, Liora was always tired; whenever something new appeared, she always slept till noon."

"She’s probably knocked out somewhere now," Yinuo said with a laugh. "No way she stayed up this long without crashing."

"She never wakes early," Yan Lin added. "She’ll sleep till noon, watch."

Just then, another five people exited the store with shining eyes and arms full of neatly packed goods. One of them held a small pan. Another clutched a bag of detergent like treasure. They waved to those in line, grinning ear to ear.

"Totally worth the wait!" one man called out.

"I cried over soap," a woman added, laughing. "Soap, can you believe it?"

The crowd laughed with her, but it was a laughter full of relief, gratitude, and the strange joy of normal things returning.

The AI’s voice returned overhead.

["Next five residents, please enter the store."]

The doors slid open again. Liang Zihan cracked his knuckles.

"Finally. Our turn’s coming."

~~~

On the other side of the base, a large crowd had gathered...not civilians, but fighters, newly appointed guards, and several of the base’s most capable awakeners.

They stood before a massive structure, one that hadn’t existed the previous evening.

The Fortified Training Ground towered over them like a colossus, its sleek walls shimmering faintly under the light. The design was unlike anything most of them had ever seen—clean, high-tech, and intimidating. The main gate stood tall and open, flanked by glowing signs and large digital panels.

Zhao Ren stood at the front, arms crossed, lips parted slightly as he muttered, "This wasn’t here yesterday..."

Yang Ming was next to him, his expression unreadable for a moment before he finally gave a low whistle. "I’ve seen military training bases... But this looks like a war academy from the future."

Shen Haoran was already squatting down beside the glowing interface on the side wall, his fingers hovering over the panel. "Modes? Elemental practice? Resistance grading? Damn... this isn’t just a training ground—it’s a whole battlefield simulator!"

"Every guard should be using this place," Chen Wei said flatly. His sharp eyes scanned the long, open training field ahead. "And they will. No excuses anymore. No more flailing in the dirt like beginners."

The guards behind them nodded wordlessly, their faces a mix of shock and admiration.

Then the AI voice came alive from above, calm and professional.

["Welcome to the Fortified Training Ground. This facility includes a large-scale open arena for general combat, personalized booths for ability-based training, and adjustable simulation modes. Please scan your ID to access functions based on your clearance level."]

Rows of smaller cubicle-style booths stood along the side, each glowing with a soft light. Some guards immediately moved toward them, scanning their IDs and stepping inside. A soft whir of sound followed, and the door closed behind them.

"Look at this," Shen Haoran muttered from inside one of the booths, peering through the transparent panel. "It’s customizing the environment to match my awakened ability...!"

"Element: Fire," the screen above his booth read, "Launching simulated fire resistance drill."

The lights flickered. Inside, fire began whipping through the space in controlled bursts.

Outside in the main yard, a few guards were already sparring using padded weapons, their every move monitored by invisible sensors that projected their stats onto nearby screens. A burly man shouted, "This is better than anything we’ve had in the army! You punch, and it reads your output? Look!"

Zhao Ren glanced toward the sparring field, then turned his gaze toward the back structure—a sleek tower labeled "Elite Mode." He raised a brow. "That one’s locked," he said.

"Probably restricted," Yang Ming replied. "Or maybe reserved for those crazy-strong types."

They turned when footsteps approached.

Xu Kai had finally arrived.

His posture was straight, calm as always. His uniform was crisp, but there was dust on his boots. He had clearly come straight from patrol.

The guards instinctively parted, making way for him without even thinking.

He stopped in front of the facility, lifting his gaze slowly across its structure.

There was no gasp. No reaction of wide-eyed disbelief like the others.

Just a pause... And then a faint flicker of acknowledgment, like it was not his first time seeing something like this.

"This is well-built," Xu Kai said quietly.

That was all.

But it was enough.

Zhao Ren raised a brow and leaned over to Yang Ming, muttering, "See? Even he’s surprised. That’s saying something."

Yang Ming smiled faintly. "Yeah. But I bet he’s already planning how to run drills in here."

Xu Kai stepped forward and reached out to the panel. The AI recognized him instantly.

["High-level clearance detected. Advanced booth access granted. Welcome, Commander Xu."]

The doors parted to one of the specialized chambers on the side—larger than the rest, with enhanced walls and isolated shielding.

Without looking back, Xu Kai entered.

Zhao Ren exhaled a slow breath. "Well. Looks like we’ve got work to do."

Shen Haoran grinned from his booth. "Work? This is heaven."