Chapter 21: Part 6: Eisenburg

Seraphina led her into the central tower that rose up to the dome at the heart of the entire underground city.

The woman walked confidently through the lobby and headed straight for the observation elevator, pressing a button:

“In terms of height, this is the tallest building in all of Eisenberg.”

“Th-then… what’s at the top?” Mi Li couldn’t help but ask quietly as the elevator doors closed before her.

Seraphina, hands behind her back, turned sideways and said to Mi Li, “The top floor? There’s a really good restaurant there, the best in the whole commercial district. I come here often—let me take you to try it.”

“Uh… on the surface?”

“The ground floor of the central tower?” Seraphina raised an eyebrow, realizing Mi Li had misunderstood.

“Yeah…”

“That’s the headquarters.”

The girl squinted in confusion and leaned back a little, finding Eisenberg’s strange zoning all the more unbelievable.

The observation elevator began to ascend rapidly—

Through the curved transparent walls of the cabin, the entire underground city slowly unfolded beneath Mi Li’s feet.

A sprawling sea of dazzling lights quickly spread out, then gradually shrank into a glowing, colorful, square-shaped model…

Intersecting streets, flowing traffic, crowds of people as tiny as ants—

Everything became surreal.

Mi Li pressed against the glass, staring blankly at the scene, the glow reflecting on her forehead.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” The woman’s voice came from behind, with a faint hint of pride.

“Mm…” she nodded instinctively.

The elevator stopped at the top floor, and the doors slid open, letting in warm fresh air and the aroma of food.

This place was completely different from the fine dining restaurant Mi Li had imagined.

There were no luxurious crystal chandeliers, nor an oppressively quiet atmosphere.

Entire walls were made of huge floor-to-ceiling windows, offering a panoramic view of the underground city’s nightscape…

Under warm-toned lights, the restaurant was packed with diners, surrounded by the steam of food and the relaxed murmur of conversation.

“Your Majesty!” The restaurant owner, a cheerful middle-aged man with a large patch of light blue stubble on his chin, immediately recognized Seraphina and hurried out from behind the counter, a mix of joy and reverence on his face.

“Get us a window seat,” Seraphina said casually, her arrival silencing the entire restaurant momentarily.

She merely glanced around briefly, and the customers soon resumed their previous moods, though their eyes held a bit more restraint.

They were led to a booth with the best view.

The girl glanced through the small green plants at the transparent dome in the distance, then cast a look at the city outskirts hidden in the shadows below, finding it strange that the people here didn’t display the same intense enthusiasm as the masses she had seen before.

Thinking carefully, if the command center was just above where she sat—

Then wouldn’t all the people around be—?!

“The owner of this place used to be a wandering cook,” Seraphina explained, scrolling through the menu on her tablet, “But he’s great at handling all sorts of mutated ingredients from the wasteland, so I had him open this place.”

“This place…” Mi Li cautiously glanced around the restaurant, “the atmosphere is… quite relaxed…”

Hearing that, Seraphina followed her gaze.

—Groups of customers sat together, chatting and laughing.

“What did you expect?” Seraphina’s tone was laced with mockery, “Everyone trembling with fear, too scared to eat?”

“No… I just didn’t expect…” Mi Li bit her lip, unsure how to express it, “Are they… all officers?”

“It’s not just officers eating here.”

The woman put down her tablet and gestured toward other tables.

“Look over there, those in work clothes—they’re technicians from the heavy machinery maintenance station.”

“The lady next to them is the head of the biology research department.”

Mi Li followed her gaze, seeing all sorts of attire—

Some in military uniforms, some in work clothes, others even wearing lab coats…

Probably so busy they hadn’t even had time to change.

“Over there, that table is the smelter foreman and two senior workers,” the woman continued to explain.

“They… all can afford to eat here?” Mi Li’s voice was very low.

“Of course.”

Seraphina picked up a small square of condensed milk bread and popped it into her mouth:

“Eisenberg isn’t as rigidly hierarchical as other factions—I’ve eliminated all extravagant and wasteful expenses; everything here is priced based on practicality.”

She then licked her fingers, pointed at the restaurant’s decoration:

“See? Everything here is made from bulletproof, explosion-proof materials. It’s durable and practical; the food focuses on nutrition and taste, not fancy presentation.”

The girl bit her lip, feeling curious.

“So… do officers and workers get treated the same?”

“Definitely not,” Seraphina took a sip of tea to moisten her throat, “But I keep the differences within a reasonable range.”

“Officers get slightly larger portions, better housing, and certain benefits for their children—but nothing wildly disproportionate.”

She exhaled slowly, setting down her cup and looking at Mi Li.

“The biggest difference is just military versus civilian status.”

“Soldiers bear more risks and deserve corresponding treatment. But workers, scientists, technicians—their value is equally important.”

“Why… do you do it like this?” Mi Li couldn’t help but ask.

Seraphina’s answer was straightforward:

“Because it works.”

“Excessive hierarchy only breeds internal conflict and reduces overall efficiency.”

“What I want is a well-oiled machine, not a lavish playground for nobles.”

“If the researchers get distracted over benefits, they can’t focus on weapon development.”

“If workers don’t have enough to eat, production quality will suffer, which is very bad for the military.”

Mi Li nodded slightly, gaining a rough understanding of Seraphina’s management approach.

“So… there really aren’t any nobles here?”

“Nobles?” The woman sneered, “They’re just a burden.”

“What I want are soldiers who can fight, workers who can work, and geniuses who can innovate.”

“As for those parasites who only squander resources—”

“They’ll be cleaned out soon enough…”

Her last words were said casually, but made the girl feel a chill down her spine.

Soon, dishes that looked delicious were brought out one after another.

Sizzling roasted meat, rich broth boiling in a clay pot…

There was even a plate of bright green vegetables that Mi Li had never seen before.

“Here, try this.”

Seraphina used serving chopsticks to put a piece of roast meat into Mi Li’s bowl.

“It’s made from mutant rock boar tenderloin. After processing, it has no earthy smell, and the meat is very tender.”

Mi Li hesitated, then carefully used her fork to pick up the meat and put it in her mouth.

After a brief taste, her eyes immediately lit up.

The meat was indeed tender and juicy…

The seasoning was just right, making it so delicious she almost swallowed her own tongue.

“Tasty?”

“Mm, mm… very tasty…” she nodded vigorously, cheeks puffed out.

Seeing her like this, Seraphina smiled and continued serving her.

At this moment, she seemed to have shed her usual intimidating aura, looking more like a relative caring for a child.

Of course.

That illusion was soon shattered.

The woman took out the portable monitoring device again, leaning it against the partition on the table.

“Heart rate’s 110. Looks like you really like this dish.”

She tapped the waveform on the screen, analyzing it.

Mi Li froze mid-chew.

“Relax, I’m just confirming your taste preferences,” Seraphina lifted her chin, signaling her to try another dish. “This is mushroom cream soup. Your stomach is a bit weak, so drinking something warm is good for you.”

Mi Li had no choice but to pick up the spoon and sip the soup under Seraphina’s watchful gaze.

“Hm, heart rate’s dropping, blood pressure’s stable, and temperature’s normal… your body is relaxing.”

Seraphina seemed very pleased with the data, as if admiring her own treasure.

Throughout the meal, Mi Li’s feelings were mixed.

The food was top-notch—

But being monitored like an experiment made her extremely uneasy…

Outside the window, the underground city’s scattered lights looked like a galaxy reflected beneath the earth.

“You built all this… for what?” Mi Li cradled the warm soup bowl and asked involuntarily.

Seraphina paused mid-cut.

She didn’t answer immediately but chewed a small piece of meat carefully, swallowed, then looked up.

“For survival,” the woman said calmly, without any hint of emotion.

“In this world, only the strong can determine their own fate.”

“And… the others?”

“Them? They need the protection of the strong.”

Seraphina picked up the other half of the meat from her rice and put it into the girl’s bowl.

Her gaze settled on Mi Li’s face.

“—Just like you.”

Mi Li lowered her eyes, no longer speaking.