Apocalypse Architect: A Tower Defense LitRPG

Chapter 109: This Time, There Are Two

Once the debriefing was over, Jax instructed the crew to unload the supplies from the pickup truck onto the platform.

With the addition of a new member, the living arrangements required a bit more thought than before. The fortress wasn’t exactly overflowing with spare quarters, so the only viable solution was to have Elena share a room with Annie. As for Elena’s specific role within the team, Jax hadn’t yet decided where she would fit best.

By late afternoon, the Black Rain finally ceased.

The setting sun pierced through the clouds, its rays tinged with a bloody crimson that bathed the entire Northern Wasteland in an ominous red glow. Jax stared at the dying light on the horizon, a knot of tension tightening in his chest.

“The Insect Swarm is about to begin,” he muttered to himself. “I wonder how the preparations at Redrock Bastion are coming along. If we could just get the Wall sorted out quickly…”

Jax was impatient. He needed those Credits, and he needed Hazel to start mining operations immediately. Without that revenue stream, locating Refined Iron and Stardust Stone would remain a pipe dream.

Suddenly, the cold, mechanical voice of the System echoed in his mind.

[WARNING: Large host of Rodent-Maw Creeper approaching. Please replenish Energy Shards in all Defense Tower.]

Jax snapped to attention and scanned the platform.

Gareth and the others had just returned, leaving their collected Energy Shards in the storage room. Barnaby, ever the diligent worker, was already moving. He obediently carried a handful of the glowing blue crystals to the Howitzer Turret, slotting them into the intake value. Without pausing, he moved to the two Sentry Tower and repeated the process.

Jax nodded in satisfaction. The defense grid was primed.

Elena, having finished tidying her new quarters, stepped up beside Jax. Her voice was soft. “Thank you.”

Jax turned, shooting her a grin. “I thought you’d forgotten to say it.”

Elena sighed, shaking her head slightly. “I just… I can hardly believe everything you’ve done. You’ve changed. You’re much more of a man now.”

Jax scratched his head, feigning offense. “So, I wasn’t a man before?”

“No, that’s not what I meant. Before… before, you just seemed like a nobody. A background character. I never expected you to become so sharp, so capable, after I left.”

Jax laughed. “Haha! Hearing high praise like that coming from you? I’m genuinely flattered.”

“Oh, get lost! Mocking me again,” she scolded playfully, though a smile touched her lips. “I see I’ve been being too nice to you.”

Despite the banter, she handed him a bowl of rice she had brought out. “Here, eat something. You’ve been running around all day.”

Jax took the bowl but didn’t lift his spoon. Instead, he pointed toward the wasteland beyond the Wall. “You’ve never seen a Rodent-Maw Creeper before, have you? Well, look alive. They’re here.”

Elena followed his finger, and upon hearing the name of the monsters, her face drained of color. “Should… should we hide?”

Seeing her genuine panic, Jax couldn’t help but laugh aloud. “I didn’t think the fearless Elena would be scared of bugs! Relax. We have Defense Tower. There’s nothing to worry about.”

As if on cue, a writhing mass appeared from behind the distant ridge. The Rodent-Maw Creeper surged forward—grotesque, segmented creatures resembling giant, furred caterpillars. Their long, coarse hair fluttered in the wind as they undulated across the sand. It was a nightmare-inducing sight for the uninitiated.

Yet, on the platform, the veterans didn’t even blink. They continued eating their dinner, completely unbothered.

“Are none of you worried?” Elena asked, bewildered by their calm.

Jax shrugged, spooning rice into his mouth. “Don’t forget, we have the towers. These things aren’t a threat.”

BOOM!

A thunderous roar cut through the air. The Howitzer Turret kicked back as it launched a crimson shell in a high arc. The projectile slammed into the earth right in front of the advancing swarm.

The explosion sent a shockwave ripping through the sand. The Rodent-Maw Creeper instinctively stopped and began to burrow, their primary defense mechanism.

However, the upgraded Howitzer was a beast of a different caliber. Its power had doubled, and the shockwaves it generated churned the earth like water. Those that tried to hide underground were violently blasted back to the surface by the tremors.

Exposed and disoriented, they became easy pickings. Thwip! Thwip! The two Sentry Tower unleashed a barrage of arrows with increased range and precision.

Within moments, the creeping horrors were decimated before they could even reach the corner of the Wall.

Elena watched the slaughter, her tense shoulders finally relaxing. “Whew! I didn’t expect it to be that simple.”

“Haha! Of course,” Jax replied. “But those were just Tier 2 creeps. If we were up against Tier 3 insectoids, it wouldn’t be this much of a cakewalk.”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the System chimed again, freezing the blood in his veins.

[Task Triggered: Kill Acid-Web Arachnid x2.] [Reward: Architectural Blueprint Guide Manual.] [Penalty for Failure: Current EXP cleared.]

Jax froze.

Down below, the Rodent-Maw Creeper were dead. Gareth wiped his mouth and turned to Silas and Kaleb. “Alright, show’s over! Today’s quota is met. Let’s go down and clean up the battlefield for Cores.”

The three men moved toward the lift, but Jax’s voice rang out, sharp and commanding.

“Wait! There’s a second wave!”

The trio stopped dead in their tracks. “A second wave? No way! It’s been one wave a day for the last few days!”

Jax shook his head grimly. “My presence here draws more aggro. The difficulty scales with me. Think about it—have you seen a pack of Rodent-Maw Creeper that large in the past few days?”

The three exchanged glances and shook their heads.

“Actually, no… we haven’t.” “Yeah, I was wondering why the attack took so long to start today.” “Boss, are you saying these things are hunting you?”

Jax gave a wry, bitter smile. In truth, they probably were, but he wasn’t going to elaborate on the System’s mechanics. He needed them focused.

“Next up are Tier 3 Acid-Web Arachnid. Two of them. Get ready for a fight.”

The color drained from everyone’s faces. “What? Tier 3? Acid-Web Arachnid? And two of them?”

Jax shrugged helplessly. “Looks like it.”

Memories of their last encounter with a spider monstrosity were fresh in everyone’s minds. The fear was palpable.

“We’re screwed! This time there are two? Can we actually handle that?” “The biggest problem is the swarm of spiderlings they carry!” “Yeah… I don’t know if we can survive this. Tier 3s are beasts.”

Elena, listening to the rising panic, suddenly spoke up. “Jax, didn’t you say you killed a Tier 3 Acid-Web Arachnid back at the other facility?”

Jax nodded. “I did. But that was in a laboratory environment. The Arachnid was immobilized, and its brood of spiderlings was sealed away inside a tank.”

“So,” Elena pressed, “can we seal the spiderlings here?”

Jax blinked. “Right… The spiderlings are dangerous because of their speed and numbers. If we can trap them, we only have to focus on the big mothers.”

Trap them… Jax’s mind raced. He immediately thought of the defensive structure he hadn’t built yet: the Tar Pit Trap.

He pulled up the construction menu.

[Tar Pit Trap Construction Requirements: Stardust Stone x50, Refined Iron x50]

“Damn it, the cost is so high!” Jax cursed. “We’re broke. When are we going to scrounge up that much Refined Iron and Stardust Stone?”

He checked his inventory. He was down to his last twenty Stardust Stones. A heavy silence fell over him.

Suddenly, Kaleb shouted from the edge of the platform. “They’re here! The Arachnid!”

Everyone whipped around to look.

In the distance, two massive shapes, each five meters long, were scuttling across the sand on razor-sharp legs. They were closing the distance fast.

However, Tier 3 Acid-Web Arachnid weren’t known for their sprinting speed; their danger lay in their webs and their brood. They were still out of range, but not for long.

Jax spun around, eyes locking onto the interface for The Vault. “Time to gamble. If I can pull Stardust Stone and Refined Iron, we have a shot!”

He rushed into the holographic projection of The Vault and tapped the floating golden oil lamp.

[Basic Resource Cache: Price – 1,000 Tier 1 Cores.]

Jax’s eyes widened. “Holy crap! Yes! The Basic Resource Cache! The last time I opened one of these, it dropped a hundred of each rare material!”

He checked his reserves. He had just over a thousand Tier 1 Cores left—scraps from their recent grinding. It was all or nothing.

Without a second thought, he slammed the purchase button.

A small, nondescript box appeared in his storage. Jax tore it open immediately.

Ding!

Two slots in his inventory lit up. [Obtained: Refined Iron x100] [Obtained: Stardust Stone x100]

“Yes! Fantastic! Ask and you shall receive!”

Jax turned to the group, his voice cutting through the panic. “Everyone, hold the fort up here! Do not come down under any circumstances!”

Before anyone could react or argue, Jax grabbed the rappelling rope and slid over the edge, plunging toward the desert floor to build his traps.