Apocalypse Architect: A Tower Defense LitRPG

Chapter 153: Successfully Completing the Mission

Jax stood atop the Wall, watching the plume of dust kick up into the night sky. A heavy breath escaped his lungs. “Now, we see if the bait holds.”

Everyone in The Sprawl crowded the parapets, their eyes locked on the horde. Drawn by the roaring engines of the decoy fleet, the Insect Swarm pivoted as one massive, chitinous wave, chasing the taillights out of the city limits. The junkers weren’t exactly speed demons, but they were loud and just fast enough to outpace the ravenous tide.

Disbelief washed over the survivors. Aside from a few stragglers aimlessly battering the Wall, the main horde was gone.

“A miracle… It’s an actual miracle!”

“I thought we were dead meat. How did Sir Jax know this would work?”

“Don’t forget, Sir Jax is a Psionic Awakener. His brain operates on a completely different level than ours!”

“Thank the heavens for him. If he hadn’t stepped in, we wouldn’t have survived the night.”

As the distant rumble of the swarm faded, The Sprawl erupted into deafening cheers.

Standing nearby, Elena, Raven, and Annie looked at Jax with beaming smiles.

“I have to admit,” Elena teased, her eyes sparkling, “you actually know what you’re doing.”

Jax flashed a cocky smirk. “I’ve got plenty of tricks you haven’t even seen yet. But enough celebrating. The swarm took the bait, so the final step is getting that outer Wall erected ASAP to prevent the next wave from waltzing in.”

He looked out over the dark wasteland, his smile fading into a slight frown. “We’ve done all we can here. It’s time to head back to the Bastion. I need to make sure our own defenses held up.”

“Yeah, I’m ready to go,” Annie agreed, letting out a long breath. “I just hope Barney is okay.”

Jax waved them off. “Go pack your gear. We’re moving out soon. Our Bastion is still too low-level. We survived today by the skin of our teeth, but if we want to actually live through this Apocalypse, we need serious upgrades. We can’t rely on luck. The insect race is constantly mutating. Who knows what kind of nightmares the next Black Rain will spawn?”

Raven glanced around the chaotic streets. “Understood. We’ll pack. But what about our ride? Didn’t Director Qin promise us a vehicle?”

Jax waved his hand dismissively. “If the old man made a promise, he’s prepared to keep it.”

With that, Jax vaulted gracefully off the Wall, dropping into the bustling factory district below.

The sight before him brought a rare, genuine smile to his face. The pampered elites from the core zone and the hardened dwellers of the slums were working shoulder-to-shoulder. Stripped of their tailored suits and rags, they were just people hauling bricks and mixing mortar under the floodlights.

Who said these factions couldn’t get along? Jax mused. They just needed a common enemy.

He found Director Qin and Sawyer near the kilns. Given his age, Qin was acting as the foreman, barking orders and directing the flow of freshly fired bricks toward the collapsed Wall sections.

Seeing Jax approach, Sawyer’s eyes lit up. “Brother Jax! We owe you everything. None of us expected this Insect Swarm to be repelled so easily!”

“Kid!” Director Qin added, his voice thick with gratitude. “We don’t even know how to properly thank you. Please, stay a few more days. Once this Wall is up, we want to throw a massive banquet in your honor!”

Jax chuckled, holding up a hand to stop them. “Appreciate the offer, but I’ll pass on the banquet. I have my own territory to manage, and I’m heading out tonight. Speaking of which, Director Qin, about those vehicles…”

Director Qin slapped his forehead. “Ah! Forgive an old man’s memory!” He dug into his coat and produced a heavy ring of keys. “Here. These are the master keys to my private estate’s garage. Take whichever one catches your eye. It’s yours.”

Jax took the keys with a nod. “Thanks, Director. Good luck with the Wall.”

With a final wave, Jax turned and walked off into the night.

Watching Jax’s retreating silhouette, a heavy sigh escaped Sawyer’s lips. He had initially written Jax off as a lucky opportunist—a scavenger who had stumbled into power. He couldn’t have been more wrong. Jax was a natural-born warlord, possessing a tactical mind and a commanding presence that utterly eclipsed the so-called leaders of Redrock Bastion.

Director Qin caught the sigh. “What’s on your mind, Sawyer?”

Sawyer lowered his voice. “Don’t you see it? If Jax stayed here… if he took control, he could lead all of us to a safe, peaceful life.”

Qin nodded slowly, his eyes gleaming with ambition. “You’re right. With him at the helm, we wouldn’t just survive; we’d thrive. We could even surpass Redrock Bastion.”

“It’s a shame his sights are set higher,” Sawyer muttered. “A man like that is no big fish in a small pond. Sooner or later, his true power is going to shake the whole region.”

“He must be hiding his true strength,” Qin speculated. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he has abilities that make the Awakeners look like a joke.”

Sawyer’s eyes widened. “Wait… do you think he isn’t a Psionic Awakener at all? That he’s something else entirely?”

Qin shrugged. “If he was a standard Awakener, the Guild would have snatched him up by now. Whatever he is, we need him.”

Sawyer’s expression tightened with resolve. “Director Qin, I have an idea. The Sprawl is a mess right now—a scattered pile of loose sand with zero defenses. To survive, we need a true leader.”

Qin raised an eyebrow. “You want to make Jax the City Lord of The Sprawl?”

“Exactly! If we give him the throne, we bind him to this city.”

Qin smiled, a sly, calculating look crossing his weathered face. “I like it. Let’s get to work on the logistics and see if we can make him stay.”

Meanwhile, Jax arrived at the sprawling estate of the Qin family. Unlocking the massive underground garage, he hit the lights, illuminating a jaw-dropping collection of pre-Apocalypse luxury vehicles.

Raven and Elena gasped, stepping into the pristine showroom.

“Wow! Look at all these!” Raven squealed, trailing her fingers over the sleek hood of a sports car. “Which one should we take? We have to pick the most expensive one!”

Annie was practically drooling over a low-profile supercar, her eyes wide with envy. “I’ve never even seen a car like this in person…”

Jax leaned against the wall, crossing his arms with a dry, exasperated look. “Ladies, please. Use your heads. Do you really think a low-clearance supercar is going to survive the desert?”

The three girls paused, the fantasy shattering instantly.

“Oh… right,” Elena muttered, her shoulders slumping. “These are just pavement princesses. In the desert sand, they wouldn’t even outrun a rusted-out delivery van.”

“Exactly,” Jax said, pushing off the wall. “Take one of these out into the dunes, and you’ll be bogged down before you hit the one-hundred-meter mark. But don’t worry…”

He grinned, pointing the remote fob toward a heavy, reinforced rolling shutter at the back of the garage. “I have a feeling the old man keeps the real toys locked away.”

He hit the button. Heavy gears ground together as the shutter slowly rolled up, revealing the shadows of something massive lurking inside.