Chapter 57

Ellie and Selena sprinted to the end of the pipeline. Suddenly, Ellie had a lightbulb moment. "Hey, Selena, where's your boyfriend? Maybe he can help us out. If he really loves you, this could be a good test."

"Mr. Steele is definitely the best help we could get, but..." Selena's heart ached for Ryan, but all she could think about was how to explain the mess to Mr. Steele.

"Selena, are you worried your boyfriend might get hurt?" Ellie teased, pouting. "I mean, he might not be strong enough?" She shot Selena a curious look.

Selena took a deep breath. "Mr. Steele's power is probably around a level 6 Esper."

Ellie's jaw dropped, her eyes wide. "No way! I've never even seen a level 6 Esper. A level 5 is already top-tier out here. Oh my god!" Yeah, anyone hearing about a level 6 Esper would react like Ellie. It was just mind-blowing.

Selena grinned, feeling a bit smug. A level 6 Esper was her boyfriend, and they'd shared some pretty intimate moments. "Honestly, Mr. Steele is super caring and always looks out for me," she said softly.

"Selena, you're making me feel a bit jealous. Are you flaunting your boyfriend?" Ellie quickly changed the subject, trying to lighten the mood.

Soon, they surfaced. It was evening, and Wasteland City was buzzing with activity.

"What's up with those people running to the outskirts?" Ellie pointed, puzzled. Normally, folks would be asleep by now.

Selena found it odd too and pulled Ellie along. "Let's check it out." Her eyes sparkled with a hunch. 'It must be the people from Tortoise City.'

Ellie followed, looking confused. They pushed through the crowd and out the city gate.

Suddenly, Ellie froze, stunned by the sight! A massive monster crouched outside Wasteland City, its shadow stretching across the sky. "What is that? It's huge!" Ellie pointed, eyes wide.

Selena murmured, "That's Tortoise City. They're all here..." Her eyes were filled with excitement and memories.

Ellie got giddy, feeling like she was in a dream. "Tortoise City? It's really a giant tortoise! Such a cool ancient creature!"

When they reached the gate, the scene left them speechless. Under the enormous Tortoise City, a huge wooden platform was being built. The air was filled with the sounds of hammers and saws, the scent of wood, and the bustling crowd. It had turned into a lively market. Wasteland City residents were smiling, browsing vendor stalls, picking out their favorite goods. Most of the stuff came from Tortoise City—great furniture and tools. Kids were playing on the wooden platform, their laughter filling the square.

On the other side, people were building wooden houses, with a foreman shouting, "Hurry up! Mr. White said these stations need to be done today!" His voice was particularly harsh.

Ellie trailed behind Selena, struggling to see over the crowd because of her short stature. She bounced anxiously, "Selena, come on, take me to see! I love busy places!"

Selena wasn't in a hurry to dive into the crowd. With so many people from Tortoise City trading, she might get recognized. And that sneaky monster could be watching. Ignoring Ellie's protests, Selena pulled her around the crowd, planning to sneak into Tortoise City. After a few steps, she spotted a stone platform descending from Tortoise City, with several people on it. One of them was Ryan, the guy she missed so much.

Ellie pointed at the stone platform, eyes wide. "Selena, look at that guy! He's so handsome!"

"Ellie, let's go over there. They're selling barbecue." Like a backpack, Ellie was dragged to the other side by Selena. She frowned, deciding not to act rashly and cause trouble for Mr. Steele. She noticed Mr. Steele seemed to be welcoming some guests.

Meanwhile, the Mayor of Wasteland City, Catherine, and the Chairman of the City Council, Benjamin, watched as the stone platform slowly descended. Both high-ranking officials were slack-jawed, eyes filled with shock.

"How is this possible? Someone can actually control a stone platform weighing tens of tons!" Benjamin's expression was a mix of awe and confusion.

"Mr. White, what level of power do you think the person welcoming us has?" Catherine asked, her brow furrowed.

"A level 5 Esper can't do this. I think the envoy welcoming us is at least a level 6, maybe even level 7..." Benjamin replied.

"So powerful? We don't have anyone that strong in Wasteland City." Seeing Benjamin's fearful look, Catherine suddenly smiled. It seemed making friends with Tortoise City was the right move. With their support, no matter how cunning Benjamin was, his schemes wouldn't succeed.

Benjamin whispered to his attendant, "Tell the others to be careful. These strong individuals from Tortoise City might be here to plunder resources." His attendant ran to the city gate, informing the guards to stay vigilant.

Soon, the stone platform descended in front of Catherine. I stepped down slowly, followed by Margaret, Sophia, Michael, and others. "Nice to see you again, beautiful Mayor," I greeted Catherine with a gentlemanly bow.

"Are you the person from earlier today?" Catherine was taken aback, not expecting the person at the forefront to be a servant. It felt off to her.

Margaret smiled and said to Catherine, "Actually, this gentleman is indeed the Mayor of Tortoise City, Mr. Steele."

"Ms. Gates, are you kidding me?" Catherine was genuinely shocked.

I understood Catherine's feelings. She had overlooked me, even though I had said I was the mayor. So she must be feeling pretty embarrassed. But it didn't matter. Honestly, I wasn't a fan of socializing. Catherine's invitation was more suited for Margaret.

"Ms. Jones, do I look like someone who jokes around?" Margaret linked her arm with mine, looking amused.

I cleared my throat and said, "Welcome to Tortoise City, Ms. Jones. Please step onto the elevator."

"Elevator?" The two high-ranking officials from Wasteland City looked puzzled. I gestured towards the stone platform, and they finally got it. This rock was the 'elevator.' They walked towards it with their entourages in tow.

I glanced at these folks, all with flushed faces, big bellies from eating well, and strong bodies. They were dressed to the nines, showing they were also high-ranking officials from Wasteland City.

In the dim night of Wasteland City, I pointed a finger at the ground and said, "Rise." The huge stone platform slowly ascended.

Benjamin looked at me with awe. I had no clue what was going through his mind. Actually, Benjamin had scrapped some plans, like controlling giant beasts and holding the city lord hostage for resources.

"Mr. White, you okay?" I asked, noticing Benjamin's pale face.

"No! I just feel honored that the mayor of Tortoise City personally welcomed us." Benjamin wiped his sweat, looking like a chill had run down his spine.

I could tell Benjamin was scared, even though I hadn't shown my full strength. Honestly, I shouldn't have brought outsiders to Tortoise City. But this time was different. Letting them see the foundation of Tortoise City would make trading easier, especially for my fencing plan.

As we entered Tortoise City, the high-ranking officials from Wasteland City were blown away.

"The streets are so clean, and all the houses are made of stone. Are these where the city's high-ranking officials live?" Catherine asked, confused.

I smiled. "This is the outer city. The inner city is where the high-ranking officials live."

"The outer city? Tortoise City is this prosperous? Providing such good houses for commoners? How is that possible!" Benjamin's eyes were wide.

I didn't bother explaining. In Tortoise City, everyone was equal, and every resident had the right to a better life and more respect.

We kept walking, and suddenly, they looked up. "What is that?" Catherine's voice trembled as she pointed at a giant ancient tree, like she'd seen a miracle.

"The Sacred Tree, the totem of Tortoise City," I said casually, hands behind my back, watching their reactions.

"Oh my god!" Benjamin gasped, shocked. "I thought there were no more trees after the apocalypse..." He was at a loss for words.

Margaret chimed in, "This tree is the 'Elf Tea' tree, which produces the finest 'Elf Tea' in the wilderness. I believe you two have tasted it before."

Benjamin and Catherine's mouths dropped. 

"I never expected Tortoise City to have such a foundation. Our Wasteland City can't compare at all." Catherine shook her head, then looked at me. "Even if we sold Wasteland City, it wouldn't be worth the value of this Sacred Tree. Mr. Steele, no wonder Tortoise City has a strong individual like you. This Sacred Tree can definitely cultivate top-notch warriors." Catherine gave a thumbs up.

I soaked in Catherine's praise, feeling pretty good about myself. I had worried I might not impress these folks, but things were going smoothly. Soon, I led them into the inner city.

To my surprise, Grace and Lucy were dressed in maid uniforms to greet the guests. The uniforms highlighted their already attractive figures, drawing even more attention.

Benjamin swallowed hard, trying not to stare. "Mr. Steele, your maids are stunning. You're really something."

"Actually, they don't usually dress up like this," I said with a smile, thinking I should promote this maid uniform. In the future, all maids applying would get this outfit—it looked fantastic.

"Please come in," I said, ushering the guests into the 'Big House.'

The banquet hall had a huge round table that caught Catherine's eye. After I, the host, sat down, each guest took their seats. Soon, Grace and Lucy opened the meal boxes and presented the dishes. The room filled with a rich aroma—plants, meat, and fresh tea.

"These dishes look so exquisite and smell amazing. I can't wait to taste them," Catherine said, her eyes lighting up.

"These are definitely top-notch delicacies," Benjamin said, stroking his beard. "I've been to some big cities, and these dishes are better than those in some big city restaurants. Mr. Steele, I'm very grateful for your invitation."

The other high-ranking officials from Wasteland City, seated at other tables, stared at the food, drooling over the dishes they had never seen before.

"Let the feast begin," I said casually.

I raised a cup of premium 'Elf Tea' and took a sip, then bit into some fried meat. The light tea fragrance spread in my mouth. The fried meat, seasoned with premium 'Elf Tea,' had a refreshing taste despite its greasiness. I was impressed with Grace's culinary skills. She had come a long way from cooking lizard meat. Now, her cooking was good enough to open a restaurant. I had only taught her a few stir-fry dishes; the rest was her own innovation.

Seeing me start to eat, Benjamin picked up his knife and cut a piece of grilled meat, sniffing it. "This meat smells so comforting. It's tender and juicy. Delicious." He raised his glass, showing respect to me again. When he drank the tea, he was shocked. "Such rich vitality in this tea. This isn't ordinary 'Elf Tea'!"

As I ate a plate of cabbages, I tasted a hint of spiciness. "Grace, what did you add to this dish?" I asked.

"This is a plant I discovered, somewhat similar to the chili you mentioned before, so I thought it might give the guests a surprise," Grace replied with a smile.

"Well done. Next time, try stir-frying it with meat," I said, giving her a thumbs up. With our current dining style, Tortoise City would soon replicate dishes from my world. In another world, my favorite was the specialty dishes of my country—each one nostalgic.

I wasn't surprised by Grace discovering chili. Some seedlings in the plantation had grown, flowered, and fruited. There were many plants I didn't even recognize.

"Alright," Grace said, taking out a small notebook to record what I said.