Apocalypse Architect: A Tower Defense LitRPG

Chapter 178: A New Path

Jax remained silent, his gaze locked on the nuclear power plant’s perimeter.

Beyond the towering concrete Wall, a dense, writhing Insect Swarm scoured the grounds. It wasn’t just an infestation; it was a nursery. Almost every monster shambling through the courtyard was riddled with pulsing green pustules. Occasionally, a bloated grub would squelch out of a hollowed-out insect husk, dropping into the radioactive filth below. The Parasitic Silkworm had turned this place into a literal breeding ground.

“If we let those larvae consume all these hosts,” Jax murmured, his voice grim, “the entire Forgotten City will become a nightmare factory for the Silkworm.”

Beside him, Vance’s scavengers gripped their Torches, their faces pale in the flickering light.

“Boss Vance,” one of the men whispered, taking a nervous step back. “Do we really have to stay here? We should fall back. There are just too many of them.”

“Yeah,” another chimed in, his voice trembling. “This is a fortress. We can’t break through that. And for what? Even if we get inside, what if the parts we need are fried? Where are we going to find replacements in this hellhole?”

Fear was highly contagious. Vance stood nearby, a heavy frown creasing his scarred face. He couldn’t blame his men for wanting to retreat. Truthfully, the moment he stepped onto the ninth floor and saw the sheer scale of the swarm, he had questioned this alliance too.

Ignoring the rising panic, Jax swept his eyes across the facility. Suddenly, his gaze snagged on a massive steel structure in the distance where the Insect Swarm was noticeably thinner.

“Look over there,” Jax pointed.

Vance followed his finger. “That’s the main transformer yard. The power grid is still live, dumping high-voltage static arcs everywhere. Anything that gets close gets electrocuted instantly. Look at the ground—it’s carpeted with charred bug meat. What are you getting at?”

Jax’s lips curled into a faint, analytical smile. “Don’t you think that makes it the perfect route?”

Vance’s jaw dropped. “Are you out of your mind? It’s a death trap! The moment a human steps in there, those transmission towers will arc and turn you to ash!”

“Then how did the pre-war operators get inside for routine maintenance?” Jax countered seamlessly.

Vance blinked, his mind struggling to catch up. “They… they must have had specialized hazmat gear. Heavy insulation suits. Otherwise, it’s impossible.”

“Exactly,” Jax said. “If they had protective suits, all we need to do is find them and wear them.”

“And where do you think those suits are?” Vance asked, desperately trying to shoot the idea down. “What if they’re inside the main building, completely surrounded by the swarm?”

Instead of answering immediately, Jax raised a pair of binoculars to his eyes, scanning the perimeter buildings. Finally, he locked onto an inconspicuous, low-profile concrete bunker near the outer grid. He dialed the magnification to maximum, squinting at the faded, weather-beaten letters painted above the steel door.

Maintenance Station.

“Found it,” Jax declared. “As long as we can reach that station, we’ll find the suits. Get ready.”

Despair washed over Vance’s face. The maintenance station was entirely engulfed by the thickest part of the Insect Swarm.

“What’s the difference between charging in there and just sprinting straight for the reactor core?” Vance groaned. “It’s suicide either way!”

Jax just chuckled. He turned to Elena, his voice softening just a fraction. “You’re on overwatch. Cover me from up here. And Elena? Do not try to rescue me. If I don’t make it back, the Bastion is yours to lead.”

Elena’s eyes widened, a flash of genuine panic breaking through her usual fierce demeanor. She stepped forward, her fingers pinching the soft flesh of his waist with a vicious, painful twist.

“Ow!” Jax flinched.

“Don’t you dare talk like that,” she hissed, her eyes shining with unshed tears and sheer stubbornness. “You better come back alive, Jax, or I’ll drag you out of hell and kill you myself!”

Jax rubbed his side, letting out a genuine laugh. The tension broke. “Alright, alright. I’ll do my best to not die. The rest of you, stay here and protect Elena. I’m going in solo.”

Before Vance could fully process the insanity of the plan, Jax grabbed a Torch and vaulted down the stairwell, his boots echoing rapidly against the concrete as he descended from the ninth floor.

A minute later, Jax emerged from the ground floor, waving up at them from a shattered window before sprinting into the darkness.

Up on the roof, Vance’s men stared in morbid fascination.

“What a waste,” one of the scavengers sighed. “Good kid, lots of Cores, but his brain is completely broken.”

“Has he always been this suicidal?” another muttered. “I’ll say a prayer for him. Hopefully, the bugs make it quick.”

“Shut your mouths!” Vance barked, glaring at his men. “Maybe the kid has a life-saving trick up his sleeve. Quit your whining and hold the perimeter!”

The men fell silent, but their eyes remained fixed on the lone figure darting through the wasteland. Elena ignored them entirely. She brought her sniper rifle to her shoulder, peering through the scope, her finger resting lightly on the trigger. If a single bug got too close to him, she was going to blow it apart.

Down below, Jax kept a low profile, his eyes darting across the cracked asphalt.

Squelch.

He narrowly sidestepped a pulsating mass of Parasitic Silkworm larvae. The repulsive green grubs wriggled blindly across the dirt, leaving trails of acidic slime. Luckily, they were slow. As long as he kept his stride wide, the eight-legged abominations couldn’t touch him.

Ahead, two low-tier scavengers lunged from the tall grass, their mandibles clicking furiously. Before Jax even raised his weapon, two sharp cracks echoed from the ninth floor, and the bugs’ heads exploded into green mist.

Good shot, Elena, Jax thought, not breaking his stride.

He reached the towering concrete Wall enclosing the facility. Without hesitating, Jax took a deep breath, channeled his Qi into his legs, and pushed off the ground with explosive force.

His body shot upward, soaring an impossible five meters into the air, his fingers latching effortlessly onto the upper ledge of the Wall.

Up on the balcony, Vance’s crew collectively lost their minds.

“Holy—is he Superman?!” one of the men gasped, his eyes bulging. “He just cleared a five-meter jump from a standstill!”

“I thought he was a Psionic Awakener!” another yelled. “He’s a physical Awakener too?! We completely underestimated him!”

Vance stared at the Wall, completely dumbfounded. The sheer explosive power required for that leap was terrifying. No wonder the kid was confident enough to hunt a Tier 7 boss.

Perched atop the Wall, Jax looked down. The scent of fresh human flesh had already whipped the swarm into a frenzy. Below him, the insects were piling over one another, a squelching, chittering tide of limbs and hollowed-out carapaces, stacking like a gruesome pyramid to reach him. They were already three meters high.

Jax remained perfectly calm, calculating his window.

[Skill Activated: Aero-Step]

[Duration Remaining: 5 Minutes]

Five minutes. That was all the time he had to sprint across the yard, breach the maintenance station, secure the protective suits, and get out.

It was a tight window, but as he locked eyes on the maintenance building’s door, he noticed an old, rusted iron padlock securing the handle.

Jax smirked. One good kick was all he needed.

Jax had the ability to kick this door open.