CHAPTER 202: CHAPTER 202: MIRA: THE SWEETHEART OF THE BASE

A soft ripple of light passed across the walls as if in response. Mira is the personalized AI assigned to the Base Management Hall, which had activated the moment Liora entered the second floor.

Unlike the grumpy system voice, Mira had a distinct personality, one designed for support and communication. Her voice was gentle, lively, and always full of warmth.

["Mira is always here for Liora,"] she chimed sweetly. ["You seem tired. Should I prepare a soft nap mode for you?"]

Liora chuckled softly. "No need. I just needed a break."

["Understood! Then what can Mira do for you today?"]

"Let’s issue a new mission," Liora said, her voice steady. She set her empty glass back on the tray and sat upright, brushing invisible crumbs from her lap. "We need new guards. With the base growing and more people arriving every day, we need order and protection."

["Yesss! A big mission for Base Management Hall~!"] Mira said brightly. ["Mira will prepare everything! Liora, please give me the details so I can write the announcement beautifully!"]

Liora shook her head slightly, amused by how cheerful Mira could be. "Are you always this excited?"

["Of course! Every task from Liora is important to Mira!"]

Liora’s smile lingered as she spoke firmly, "Alright then. Here are the details."

Mission Name: Guard Force Recruitment

Eligibility: All civilians aged 16 and above, regardless of awakened status

Rewards:

Monthly Payment: 1,200 low-grade crystal cores

Bonus: Free dormitory housing in the newly built barracks

Duties:

Patrol both inner and outer walls.

Maintain daily order inside the base.

Respond to emergency situations and threats.

["Wooo~!"] Mira chirped. ["This is going to make everyone so excited! Mira is already imagining the lines outside the hall!"]

Liora nodded. "Broadcast it base-wide. Let everyone hear it."

["Aye, aye~! Broadcasting now~!"]

The virtual screen in front of her showed loading as Mira carried out the task. A light ripple of data flowed along the virtual, and the sweet tone of her voice echoed again...not just in the room, but across every speaker in the base:

[Base Management Announcement]

"Attention all civilians and residents of Dawn Base! A new recruitment mission has just been issued by our Lord. We are now accepting applications for the official Guard Force! This role comes with paid crystals, meals, a free dormitory, and access to exclusive base privileges! All those aged sixteen and up, awakened or not, are welcome to apply! Please head to the Base Management Hall to learn more and fill out your forms!"

The broadcast finished with a sweet chime and Mira’s cheerful sign-off:

["With love, from Base Management Hall~ The lord wishes everyone a strong and happy day!" ]

Liora couldn’t help but laugh. "You added your own message?"

["Ehehe~ Mira just wants everyone to feel welcome. Just like Liora does."]

Liora felt amused at seeing this side of Mira. At first, when she heard her voice, it was at the announcement at the start when she just built the management system, and Mira pretended to be a stern assistant to be praised as capable.

All the announcements that happen outside are all announced by Mira in an authoritative voice...that made people obey. Liora only discovered her real personality after she came to the second floor and interacted with her, and she liked this personality of Mira more, so Mira switched back to this...

If she has to announce happy news, she would use her original one, and if she has to warn someone, she would use the previous one, just like when Lang Yao was discovered.

"All right," Liora said, standing. "Let’s prepare for the crowd. Something tells me it’s going to be bigger than expected."

["Mira will be ready! Mira always has your back, Liora!"]

Outside the management hall. For a second, the base froze.

People looked up from their meals, their tasks, and their conversations. Then, one by one, their faces lit up.

A woman near the canteen gasped, clutching her spoon.

"Free dormitories... for guards?"

Her husband blinked. "And a salary of 1,200 cores? Per month?"

"That’s more than what we earn together!" someone shouted from the fields.

"The guards get dorms too? Real rooms?"

News traveled faster than the wind.

From the youngest teen in ragged shoes to old men who still had strength in their arms, everyone rushed toward the base management hall.

The air was filled with chatter, excitement, and disbelief.

Jin Song stood in the line too, quiet but stunned.

This base really was different. Back in East River, guards were unpaid bullies, chosen for loyalty to the lord, not merit. They ate better, yes—but from greed and corruption, not from reward.

Here, Lord gave without needing to shout.

They gave hope and not threats.

He lowered his head and smiled faintly. "If this is what they offer to guards... what will they offer to the future?"

By noon, the hall entrance was packed with people standing in line.

Some had brought their children, hoping to apply as they already turned sixteen. Others stood in front of the screen, some reading aloud to those who couldn’t.

Excitement turned into pride. People began to talk about protecting their home and not just surviving.

A boy, barely seventeen, stepped forward and raised his hand.

"I want to protect Miss Liora!"

Someone clapped. Someone laughed. Then more people raised their voices.

"For the base!"

"For our children!"

"For the home we found here!"

Inside, Liora watched the flood of applicants from the monitor screen.

She didn’t say anything for a long moment.

But her eyes softened, and her heart felt a little lighter.

So many people still believed in her. So many wanted to fight beside her.

She turned to the console again and whispered.

"Mira, select people based on their loyalty value towards the base and their strength, and begin preparing dorm units for selected applicants."

[Command Received.....Liora should not worry...leave it to me~)] Resources Allocated. Preparing Dorms. Updating Food Quota.]

That evening, the base glowed with energy.

Hope buzzed through the air like sunlight after a long storm. People sat together and filled out forms, old and young, awakened and unawakened.