Apocalypse Architect: A Tower Defense LitRPG

Chapter 120: Materials Gathered

The recruits in the back of the truck finally realized that the anomaly on the horizon was no weather phenomenon.

“Look at that… that’s not a sandstorm!” one of them shouted, pointing a trembling finger.

“Yeah! We’ve seen sandstorms before. This moves differently! Could it be…”

“Holy shit! Look closely! That’s an Insect Swarm! It’s the damn Swarm!”

In the distance, the landscape was a shifting carpet of chitin and mandibles. The outer Wall of The Sprawl, merely a kilometer away, had already fallen. The defensive line was gone, submerged under a tide of monsters.

The desert floor was crawling with insectoids of every shape and size—some familiar nightmares, others twisted forms they had never seen before. Jax’s sharp eyes even picked out massive, spider-like monstrosities skittering over the wreckage.

Shit. It’s worse than I thought.

Jax’s heart went cold. He had promised to deliver these men to The Sprawl, but looking at the carnage, the city was already a slaughterhouse.

Before Jax could formulate a new plan, the sound of frantic slapping against the truck’s cabin window erupted from behind.

“Chief Jax! Chief! We can’t go back there! We can’t go forward!”

“Turn around! Chief Jax, for the love of god, turn around! We don’t want to go to The Sprawl anymore!”

“Stop the car! That place is surrounded! Going back is suicide!”

Hearing their terrified screams, Jax slammed on the brakes. The heavy truck skidded to a halt, dust billowing around the tires. He leaned out the window, a cold smirk playing on his lips.

“Heh. Now that’s a strange thing to say. Weren’t you boys just complaining that I was exploiting you? That I was withholding your hard-earned Credits? Relax. I’m a man of my word. I guaranteed I’d take you back, and I will. Hold on tight!”

Ignoring their protests, Jax slammed the accelerator to the floor.

Vroom!

The rear wheels kicked up a massive plume of sand, and the truck shot forward, speeding directly toward the besieged city.

Jax wasn’t suicidal. He had no intention of actually fighting the Insect Swarm. He hadn’t Awakened any combat abilities yet, and fighting a tide of monsters with nothing but a reinforced iron hammer was a quick way to become fertilizer.

But he needed to teach these deserters a lesson they would never forget. They had broken their contract and tried to incite a rebellion. If he took them back now without breaking their spirits, they would be a constant liability.

The truck roared across the flats, closing the distance rapidly. The men in the truck bed were screaming, their voices cracking with sheer terror.

“No! We don’t want to die! Chief Jax, we were wrong!”

“Chief, stop! If we get any closer, we’ll be cut off!”

“Chief Jax, what do you want? We admit it! We messed up! Take us back to the mine, we’ll work!”

Jax waited until the horrific details of the swarm were visible to the naked eye—the gnashing teeth, the segmented limbs—before he violently wrenched the steering wheel.

The truck performed a drift in the loose sand, executing a sharp 180-degree turn before sliding to a halt in the shadow of a large dune.

Jax killed the engine and leaned out again. “What was that? I couldn’t hear you over the screaming.”

The men in the back were pale as ghosts, gasping for air, clutching their chests. The defiance was gone.

They were less than 200 meters from the edge of the swarm. They could see the monsters clearly now. In previous attacks, they had always cowered in bunkers or behind the Wall. They had never stared into the face of a Swarm in the open desert. The sheer psychological pressure was crushing.

They realized that the metal hull of the truck was their only coffin if Jax decided to drive them into that mess.

“We… we understand now,” one of them stammered. “It’s safer at the mine. The Swarm has to eat through The Sprawl before it reaches the Outpost.”

Jax looked at them, his expression unreadable. “So, you’ve figured it out?”

They nodded furiously like chickens pecking at grain. “Yes! We understand! Totally!”

“Good. Then here are the new terms.” Jax’s eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing. “I’ll take you back. But from now on, you work for free. No Credits. I provide you protection, and in exchange, you give me your labor. Do you understand?”

A few of the men hesitated, frowning.

“Chief… isn’t that a bit too much? Slave labor?”

Jax raised an eyebrow, his voice dropping an octave. “Too much? I’m too much? You tried to desert me in the middle of a crisis. You demanded to be brought here. Look over there—is that what you want? If you think my price is high, feel free to get off and walk the rest of the way to the city.”

The complainers choked on their words.

Suddenly, a screeching chitter broke the tension. A segment of the Swarm had noticed the fresh meat sitting near the dune.

Dozens of Rodent-Maw Creepers broke away from the main pack, shrieking as they sprinted toward the truck. They didn’t even bother burrowing; they were in a frenzy, charging across the surface like rabid dogs.

“Shit! Rodent-Maw Creepers!”

“Don’t hesitate! Forget the money! Just drive, Chief! Save us!”

“Go, go, go! Who cares about pay if we’re dead?!”

“If anyone disagrees, get out now! I’m not dying with you!”

The dissenters instantly folded. Watching the grotesque, gaping maws of the Creepers closing in, their greed evaporated, replaced by the primal urge to survive.

Jax, however, remained calm. He watched the rearview mirror, judging the distance. He needed them to be terrified. He needed them to be desperate.

“Chief! Please! We submit!”

“Just drive!”

Jax sneered. “Sit down and shut up.”

He slammed the truck into gear. The engine roared, and the vehicle launched forward like an arrow released from a bowstring.

The Rodent-Maw Creepers, unfamiliar with the speed of combustion engines, snapped their jaws at the dust cloud. After a brief, futile chase, they lost interest and turned back to the slaughter at The Sprawl.

Back at the mine, Jax didn’t waste a second. He marched straight to the administrative office, looking for Hazel.

She wasn’t there. Looking out the window, he spotted her down in the pits, covered in dust, personally helping the workers sort ore.

Jax walked down to the site. “Hazel? Why are you down here doing the heavy lifting?”

Hazel looked up, wiping sweat from her forehead, leaving a streak of dirt. She smiled when she saw him. “I couldn’t just sit in the office with everything going on. I thought I’d help speed things up.”

“How are the numbers?”

“I haven’t tallied the last batch yet. Wait, you’re back already? Did you drop them off?”

Jax shook his head. “No. They got a good look at the city and wet themselves. I brought them back. I’ve already sent them to the other pits.”

“Oh! That’s actually great news,” Hazel said, brightening. “With the extra hands, we can finish immediately.”

“Exactly. Stop working now. Help me consolidate the Stardust Stone and Refined Iron. We need to move.”

Hazel nodded and began coordinating the transfer. Within a few hours, the resources were piled up and accounted for.

“That’s it,” Jax said, inspecting the haul. “It’s enough. I can finally upgrade the Fortress.”

Relief washed over him, but it was quickly replaced by gravity. He pulled Hazel aside, out of earshot of the workers.

“Listen to me. I’m leaving you in charge here, but the situation is volatile.”

Hazel looked concerned. The fate of the Swarm was still unknown. “What should I do?”

“Your car is parked out back, right?” Jax lowered his voice. “If the Swarm heads this way… get in the car and drive. Take Kaleb with you. Forget the others.”

Hazel’s eyes widened. “Jax… are you telling me to abandon them?”

“I’m telling you to survive,” Jax said firmly. “I wanted to take you back to the Outpost with me, but I need someone here I can trust. Kaleb is a good kid, but he’s a ‘straight intestine’—too honest for his own good. He can’t handle these slippery old veterans if things go south. They’ll eat him alive. I’m counting on you to make the hard call if it comes to it.”

Hazel took a deep breath, understanding the weight of his order. “Okay. I understand. You go. I’ll hold the fort here. Just… don’t forget about us.”

“Never,” Jax promised. “I’ll be back.”

Jax jumped into his truck and turned the key. The engine rumbled to life, and he sped out of the mining zone, heading toward Sector 33.

The drive was tense. In the distance, he could see the Insect Swarm pouring out of Mount Sepulcher like a black river. He had no way to fight that force yet. All he could do was outmaneuver it.

Fortunately, his route to Sector 33 was currently clear. With the resources in the back and the upgrade within reach, the real game was just beginning.