The pale pink culture medium that had filled the tank vanished beneath the floor with a low, mechanical hum.

  Through the vapor rising like mist, Somna slowly opened her eyes.

  There was none of the clouded confusion typical of a person newly awakened. Her pupils, clear and sharp as exquisitely polished lenses, scanned her surroundings with preternatural alertness.

  Yet, she did not offer so much as a flicker of curiosity toward the stranger standing beside Rea.

  "Rea, you’re just in time."

  Somna stepped out of the tank, draped a robe over her shoulders, and took a seat at the holographic table.

  Her movements were graceful, and her voice carried a soft intelligence that seemed designed to put one at ease.

  "The periodic reconfiguration cycle for the Dynamic Morphing Zone has arrived," she said. "The core of this overhaul is 'Cognitive Vitality.'"

  With a light touch in the air, a 3D model of the residential sectors in the subterranean units materialized.

  "Rea, how did you calibrate the output settings for the dynamic morphing walls?"

  Rea replied in a businesslike tone, checking the documents.

  "They are set to shift 15cm along a randomized path every midnight. By my calculations, the existing hallway structures will be entirely erased and replaced by a new labyrinth within a week."

  "15cm... Isn’t that a bit too kind?"

  Somna narrowed her eyes slightly, a soft but cold smile playing on her lips.

  "Increase it to 20cm. When the units reach for a doorknob, I want them to feel that subtle discrepancy—a distance just slightly further than yesterday—at their very fingertips. That minor 'mismatch' is what constantly stimulates the hippocampus."

  She continued with a smile as warm as a philanthropist’s.

  "We cannot simply let them rot, letting their souls fester in the poison of familiarity. We must keep them eternally awake so they do not devolve into mere spare parts. I am simply granting them the 'Right to be Awake.'"

  Adin, who had been watching from the side, could no longer remain silent. He spoke up cautiously.

  "If the structure of their homes changes every day, they will suffer extreme stress. If they have to wander through a maze even after a long day of work, isn't that torture rather than rest?"

  Somna paused, her hand hovering near her teacup, and looked in the direction of the voice.

  However, her gaze did not seem to land on Adin’s face, but rather on the empty space beyond him. Her smile remained benevolent, her voice like that of a patient teacher.

  Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

  "What a warmhearted concern. But that is short-sighted thinking."

  She turned her head back toward Rea.

  "Anxiety is the most noble form of tension for survival. Consider it a courtesy—a way to help them shed the heavy burden of the 'self' and dissolve into a part of the system. Now, what is the operating rate of the 'Entropy Sink' in the Silentium zone?"

  Rea continued the report in a voice devoid of emotion.

  "The temperature in the basement is fixed at 26.5 degrees Celsius—the 'dead point' where humans cannot perceive environmental changes. Atmospheric noise from seasonal shifts has been entirely neutralized by the system."

  "Good. Very good. Letting them feel the seasons only implants futile nostalgia. Fine-tune the spectrum of the Circadian Nullifier lighting as well."

  Somna’s voice grew even more tranquil, yet her words became increasingly ruthless.

  "In that space of 'nothingness' where even the distinction between day and night has vanished, they will come to rely solely on the rhythm provided by the system. Only in that perfect stasis can they truly become the most efficient versions of themselves."

  Somna placed her hand lightly over the blueprints. The bizarre spiral curves within the hologram glowed in an eerie blue.

  "Every morning, the units must forge a new path to their workshops. The adrenaline generated in that process will boost their productivity. We will distribute this sophisticated inconvenience fairly, ensuring that not a single unit is left behind."

  She nodded with satisfaction and moved her gaze to the next document Rea presented. It was the results of this quarter’s 'Node Qualification Review.'

  "Now, shall we check the standards of our 'guests'? Who is the Node up for expulsion this time?"

  "It is 'Baron Del Mar,' residing in Room [ MP.07-Ω ]."

  Rea pulled up the voting tally from the other Nodes.

  "Recently, 'emotional vibrations' originating from his suite have become an issue. There have been a flood of complaints that his sobbing following his daughter’s death has exceeded the permitted range of the Silentium system. Consequently, an expulsion motion has been tabled, supported by over 90% of the resident Nodes."

  Somna scanned the tally and let out a small, regretful sigh.

  "How tragic. I understand the grief of losing a child, but even sorrow requires moderation. This is a sanctuary for which people pay enormous sums to achieve eternal stasis. Yet, this man is polluting the 'purity' of this place with his private emotions."

  She set down her teacup and added firmly.

  "His grief is too... vulgar. It is only natural that the other Nodes are offended. He hasn't forgotten the clauses he signed when he entered, has he? The moment someone who knows the secrets of The Monolith leaves and becomes an outsider, there is only one price to pay."

  With an elegant gesture, Somna pressed the Expulsion Approval button.

  [ >> EXPULSION STATUS: APPROVED ]

  [ >> ASSET SEIZURE: AUTHORIZED ]

  "Grant the final approval for his expulsion based on the vote. Confiscate all his assets and exile him to Ebony immediately. Out there, the world is filthy and noisy enough for him to wail to his heart’s content."

  What lingered in her eyes was not mercy, but an obsession with perfect order.

  "This is a place where only refined tranquility is permitted. A shallow man who cannot control his grief does not deserve this extravagant indolence."

  To her, a Node had to be an elegant ornament, and a unit had to be a precise component.

  "I believe we’ve discussed this enough. Rea, implement it immediately."

  Somna walked gracefully back toward the tank.

  "I am already looking forward to seeing how much 'vivid tension' my poor creatures will feel when they see a changed world tomorrow morning—and how much clean silence our Nodes will regain."

  As she let out a yawn, there was no trace of pity for the expelled Node, nor curiosity toward Adin.

  Even as the glass walls of the tank closed and the pink fluid began to rise again, an angelic, peaceful smile remained on her face.

  Behind that smile, the auditory hallucination of the basement walls shifting with a grotesque mechanical groan began to dizzy Adin’s ears.

  Vote, Follow, and Comment! Your support means the world to me.