Global Awakening: Apocalypse Ender's Chronicle-Chapter 1097: Suspicious Activity

Alexander opened the first private messages one by one. Soon, his expression turned cold as he got a series of bad news!

[ Rowan: Boss… the Hollow Fang Shelter resisted fiercely. Their leader rallied the survivors, and though we broke through, most of their food reserves and Spirit Grass were destroyed in the fighting. We only secured scraps. We lost 8 people. ]

[ Idris: Alexander… the Pale Brook Shelter collapsed before we arrived. A horde of Spitter Zombies and a few King Zombies swept through, leaving nothing but ruins. I think someone from another clan summoned those Zombies. No resources left to claim. ]

[ Corvin: Boss, the Ashspire Shelter sabotaged their own stockpiles before surrendering. Their forges are now destroyed. We control the shelter, but production is crippled. All the blacksmiths had escaped. ]

"What?!"

Alexander slammed his hand against the table as soon as he saw this message.

He really needed those blacksmiths! He could still accept the failure to raid for food or other resources. However, he really needed those expert blacksmiths!

"Shit… I sent ten Level 50 to handle them, but they still failed. I should've gone there instead." Alexander could only curse as they were lacking Master Class Blacksmiths for his next huge project.

Furthermore, they needed skilled people who would be able to process the dragon's tail once they cut it…

Alexander could only sigh as he checked the other messages.

[ Mirea: Alexander… the Frostpine Shelter gave up, but their supply of Spirit Stones were stolen by raiders days before. We recovered only a handful. ]

Alexander's teeth clenched as he read this news… At this point, frustration was boiling inside him. But then, new messages arrived.

[ Kennedy: Boss! The Blast Union Shelter has been occupied. The leader refused to cooperate, so we had to use force. Resistance was crushed quickly. All supplies of Purple Shroud Mushrooms will now be redirected to our shelters. ]

Alexander's lips curled faintly. Purple Shroud Mushrooms were rare, valued for their alchemical potency. With them, Phoenix Phalanx's healers and alchemists would have an edge in both medicine and poison crafting. It would also help them control Roan's condition.

[ Valvy: Brother… Josephine and her gang agreed to cooperate. No need for a forceful takeover here. However, the coconut supply is bad right now. A Zombie Lord destroyed a huge part of the farm. Still, they're easy to talk with. As long as we remove the threat of the Zombie Lords, they don't mind giving us 75% of the harvest. Hehehe. ]

Alexander chuckled softly. "Seventy‑five percent… generous fools. Once the Zombie Lords are gone, they'll be nothing but farmers under our thumb."

[ Helena: Boss, the Ironwood Shelter is ours…

[ Darius: Alexander, the Ashen Quarry Shelter surrendered without a fight…

[ Selene: Boss, the Nightfall Shelter resisted, but we broke them. Their fire crystals are ours now. These crystals burn hotter than ordinary flames. I'm sure this is the stones that Leonidas said can be used to temper dragon blood elixirs or forge weapons with draconic resonance. ]

Just like that, Alexander finally felt satisfied with the result of his expansion operation. Even without his lead, they were finally progressing. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Then, he got another message…

[ Tara: Boss, Blue Salt Shelter is secured. Resistance was crushed. Spirit Threads and salt reserves are now under our control. The mercenaries who fought are dead, and the traders have been subdued. The shelter is stable. ]

Alexander wanted to congratulate her but another message quickly came in.

[ Tara: However… there is one matter. I found an Armored Car here… It's heavily modified, it had several defenses like mounted weaponry and special armor. It's far superior to the vehicles we seized before. But the owners are not ordinary survivors. There are five of them, each around Level 50. They're strong, disciplined, and clearly veterans. ]

[ Tara: I could order my soldiers to take it by force, but it would be costly. These survivors aren't like the mercenaries we slaughtered. They're heavily armed, and they don't look ordinary. If we kill them, we'll gain the vehicle, but we'll lose men. If we leave them alone, they'll remain a threat inside the shelter. I await your command. ]

Alexander leaned back, his cold expression unreadable. The Spirit Threads were already a victory, but the Armored Car was tempting. A vehicle like that could serve as a mobile fortress, a weapon in itself. Yet Tara's warning was clear… the five survivors weren't weaklings. Level 50 meant hardened fighters, not cannon fodder.

Still, he imagined the car and its mounted gun, capable of breaking through barricades or mowing down infantry. In the coming war, such a machine could tip the balance.

But he also imagined the cost. Phoenix Phalanx soldiers he sent there were also valuable, and losing them to seize one vehicle might weaken their grip on Blue Salt.

They weren't even sure about their affiliation. It could be dangerous if they're not careful.

After some considerations, he finally gave a reply.

[ Alexander: Hold position. Do not waste soldiers on a premature fight. Monitor the five survivors. If they show hostility or any signs that they might bring a threat to us, eliminate them and seize the Armored Car. If they remain neutral, let them live. Their strength may be useful later. ]

***

Soon, Alexander leaned back, satisfied. Even with setbacks elsewhere, the others' message, including Tara's report, gave him leverage. The supplies, like Spirit Stones, Shroud Mushroom, Spirit Threads, salt, and others were important for his shelter. He might even obtain the Armored Car as well.

But just as his satisfaction settled, another private message appeared.

[ Arven: Lord Alexander… urgent report. Our watchers near Eclipse Domain have spotted movement. Multiple survivor parties have departed, heading south. Their trajectory suggests Sector 19. We should have about five or six more days. ]

Alexander's smile vanished instantly.

"Eclipse Domain…" he muttered.

The laboratory fell silent. The alchemists froze, their excitement replaced by unease as they heard the name of the famous shelter in Sector 20

Fighting against them was inevitable… However, he couldn't help but feel curious why they were actually too slow to send our parties to punish them.

'Something's off…' He mused