Apocalypse Chapter 69: Battle For the Oil Fields – Part 2

Chapter 69: Battle For the Oil Fields – Part 2

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

On the northern bank of the river stretched vast plains. Jiang Rong had been here before, back when he traveled to Jiangbei for work. He remembered arriving just in time for the rice harvest season—back then, everything his eyes could see had been a sea of gold, and the air had been filled with the sweet fragrance of ripening grain.

Now, walking the same road, there was no trace of that scent. Instead, the air was thick with the stench of rot and an acrid, burning smell that stung the eyes. Even with masks on, the foul odor seeped through.

Chu Qiang wrinkled his nose and raised his walkie-talkie with a groan. “Smells like a chemical plant exploded. What is this?”

Jiang Rong replied calmly, “Tell everyone to keep their masks on. If anyone starts feeling sick, switch to gas masks.”

There were many chemical factories along the river. Without anyone maintaining them, their raw materials had long since begun leaking. It wasn’t just the smell—some of the fumes were outright toxic. That was why, before setting out, Jiang Rong had prepared gas masks and protective suits for the entire team. They were bulky and cumbersome, but far safer than inhaling poison.

“Got it,” Chu Qiang said. “I’ll pull the convoy over and have everyone gear up.”

Moments later, the convoy’s hazard lights flickered on as the vehicles came to a halt. One by one, the team members climbed out to change into their protective suits. While they worked, Jiang Rong and Guan Shao stepped out of their truck. They stood in the middle of endless farmland, the sky above gray and heavy. Sparse clumps of withered rice stalks dotted the fields—remnants of what had once been bountiful crops.

These few surviving stalks were lucky just to be alive, but they would never yield a harvest. And even if they did, the sharp-eyed mutant birds would have devoured them long before humans could lay a hand on them.

Jiang Rong gazed at the empty fields for a long moment before suggesting, “When we come back, let’s collect some rice stalks.”

If the stalks were cut down, they would sprout again. Though the second crop wouldn’t match the first in yield or quality, it was better than nothing. And among those surviving plants might be mutated varieties strong enough to thrive. If they could cultivate those, they’d have high-quality seeds for the future. The more seeds they gathered, the better next year’s harvest would be.

He’d learned that in his previous life, back when he’d followed a wood-type esper to plant crops. This year, they might still manage to salvage some. But in another year or two, finding quality rice would become nearly impossible. Guan Shao nodded. “Alright.”

As they spoke, a familiar cartoon theme song floated out from the heavy truck. Inside, Little Guaiguai and Little Fairy were glued to the tablet screen, watching intently.

Jiang Rong couldn’t help but laugh. “I swear, whoever has the latest season of Meow-Meow Squad could kidnap those two without breaking a sweat.”

From inside the truck came Little Fairy’s indignant voice: “No way!” Other than Master Jiang, it wouldn’t follow anyone—not in this life.

Jiang Rong’s smile deepened. “Good. But you still can’t watch cartoons all day. Even playtime needs balance.”

After a short break, the convoy got moving again. It wasn’t long before Meng Weixian approached, his protective suit rustling as he walked. “Captain Jiang, we might have a problem.”

He’d discovered that a fork in the road, about five kilometers ahead, had been cleared. That wasn’t something one person could do. Combined with the recent attack on Little Guaiguai, it all but confirmed other espers had already beaten them to the oil field.

Jiang Rong’s expression remained steady. “We’ll assess the situation when we get there. Jiangbei Plain is huge. There are more than enough oil fields to go around. If they’re willing to talk, we’ll split the work. If not…” His eyes darkened. “We’ll see if they can back up their words.”

With the path cleared, their progress sped up. They’d expected to arrive by evening, but by two o’clock in the afternoon, the gates of the oil field loomed before them. Even from a distance, the pungent scent of crude oil hung in the air.

“We’ve got oil!” someone cheered. But as they had feared, the oil field was already occupied. As their convoy approached, a massive wall rose slowly from the ground, blocking their path.

From atop the wall, a rough, booming voice rang out: “Which base are you from? This oil field belongs to the Peace Base. Go find another one.”

Jiang Rong looked up. A burly man stood atop the wall, his face marked with a two-inch scar running down one cheek. He wore a black trench coat, and bright yellow flames crackled faintly around him. Chiang Jinhu snorted. “Looks like we’ve got company.” The man’s flames were yellow, not red like Chiang Jinhu’s—an indication his fire-type ability was likely a level higher.

Jiang Rong recognized him. Zhou Xing. One of the Peace Base’s strongest espers. In his previous life, by this point in time, Zhou Xing had already reached level two, one of the few in the base.

Jiang Rong remembered the first time he saw him—back when he’d pawned his SUV just to survive. He’d been penniless, powerless, standing at the gates of the Peace Base while Zhou Xing and his team had marched in, fierce and untouchable. He remembered the envy in his own eyes, the way he’d stared at them the way all the other civilians did. Back then, he’d never imagined he’d one day be standing here, facing Zhou Xing as an equal. Jiang Rong stepped out of the truck, taking a few calm strides forward.

“Peace Base’s Zhou Xing?” he called. The man froze. “You… know me?”

Jiang Rong gave a slow nod. “I’ve heard of you. I’m Jiang Rong from the Spark Base. We came here for the same reason you did. I don’t want a conflict between our bases, so why don’t you come down and we talk this through face-to-face?”

Zhou Xing let out two short, mocking laughs. “The Spark Base? Never heard of it. Didn’t you hear what I said? This oil field belongs to us. You’re not getting a drop.”

Jiang Rong raised his voice, steady and clear. “The world is brutal enough. Survivors should be helping each other. This oil field belongs to everyone, the Peace Base can’t hoard it all. Come down, let’s talk this over and find a solution that works for both sides.”

Zhou Xing’s face twisted with open disdain. He’d heard this speech too many times before—espers spouting nonsense about unity, humanity’s future, and how no one should monopolize resources. He was sick of it.

Zhou Xing clenched his fist and leaned forward. “Jiang Rong, right? You’re Spark Base’s representative? Then tell me—how big is your base?”

Spark Base, centered around Fishery Village 3, covered roughly two hundred twenty-five square kilometers. When Zhou Xing heard the number, he snorted. “And how many people?”

“Thirty-two thousand,” Jiang Rong replied evenly. Zhou Xing laughed out loud. “Two hundred square kilometers and thirty thousand people. That’s what you call a base? That’s a shelter, at best!”

The people from the Spark Base bristled at his words. Their base might be small, but it was tight-knit and efficient. Hearing Zhou Xing call it nothing more than a “shelter” made their blood boil.

Zhou Xing, towering above them on the wall, raised his voice. “You want to know about the Peace Base? Six thousand five hundred square kilometers. One point two million survivors. Did you hear that?”

“I heard you,” Jiang Rong replied calmly. “But so what? The Peace Base is a base. The Spark Base is also a base. We both have the right to sit down and negotiate.”

Zhou Xing’s lip curled into a cruel grin. “Jiang Rong, do you know what matters most right now?”

Before Jiang Rong could speak, Zhou Xing barked, “Fists. The biggest fist wins! That’s how this world works now. Survival of the fittest. You want an equal seat at the table? Your base doesn’t have the strength for it. You don’t have the strength for it. You think you’re qualified to talk to me? You think your base is?”

He paced across the top of the wall, his steps heavy. “If you know what’s good for you, turn around and leave. If you stay here spouting this garbage about equality, I’ll show you what my fists can do.”

The espers from the Spark Base glanced at each other, then all turned their eyes to Jiang Rong. Poor Zhou Xing—he really didn’t know what kind of man he was provoking. For a moment, their expressions shifted, not with anger, but pity. Jiang Rong let out a quiet, regretful sigh. His voice was calm as he asked, “So, there’s no room to talk? Is the Peace Base determined to monopolize this oil field?”

Zhou Xing crossed his arms and snorted. “That’s right. No room to talk. Don’t like it? Settle it with your fists.”

Jiang Rong’s lips curved into a brilliant smile. “Alright then.”

Zhou Xing gave him a once-over, amused by the sight of the slender, unassuming man standing before him. “Didn’t think you’d have the guts. Fine—if you can last five minutes against me, I’ll give you five trucks of crude. Last ten minutes, I’ll give you ten. But if you can’t even hold out for a minute… well, your people better be ready to collect what’s left of you.”

Jiang Rong chuckled. “And if I win?”

Zhou Xing barked a laugh. He hadn’t even considered the possibility. “If you win, you can do whatever you want with me.”

“I’m not interested in you,” Jiang Rong said lightly. “If I win, this oil field belongs to the Spark Base. Agreed?”

Zhou Xing hesitated. He might have been arrogant, but he wasn’t stupid. He was one of the Peace Base’s strongest espers, but he wasn’t in charge. If he lost the oil field, his superiors would skin him alive.

“Fine,” he growled. “Beat me first, then we’ll talk.”

In the next instant, bright yellow flames burst from Zhou Xing’s body, roaring toward Jiang Rong with a heat fierce enough to melt steel. Zhou Xing was certain that no one could withstand his fire.

But before the flames reached their target, the solid earth beneath Zhou Xing’s feet turned to loose sand. His footing gave way, and he stumbled, his first strike veering wildly off course. The ground shifted again, the sand reforming into a perfectly flat arena.

The Peace Base’s earth-type esper went pale. The wall they’d painstakingly built had been unraveled in seconds, as if crushed by an invisible force. Whoever was in the Spark Base… their power was terrifying.

Pan Pan clapped the dirt from his hands with a satisfied grin. “All done, Boss Jiang.”

Jiang Rong nodded and stepped onto the arena. “If this is going to be a duel, it should be open, fair, and witnessed by everyone. Your wall was blocking your people’s view. Now you can all watch. You don’t mind, do you, Captain Zhou?”

Zhou Xing’s jaw tightened. His first attack had missed completely, and it stung. “No,” he spat. “I don’t mind.”

Fine. He’d just burn Jiang Rong until there wasn’t even ash left. The espers of the Peace Base gathered around the base of the arena, while the Spark Base’s people remained at a distance. None of them called out encouragement. They didn’t need to.

Zhou Xing sneered. “Looks like your people are smart enough to stay back. Good. When I burn you to cinders, I won’t accidentally roast the rest of them.”

Jiang Rong’s smile didn’t falter. “Good.” He paused, then tilted his head. “Oh, right, Captain Zhou—one question. When you crossed the river bridge yesterday, did you happen to see the sign?”

Zhou Xing frowned, then gave a dismissive laugh. “You mean that overgrown vine I torched? Was that your pet? My bad. Didn’t see the sign until after it was already ash.”

He chuckled at the memory. Last night, he’d gone wandering and spotted a massive mutated thing on the bridge. He’d torched it on the spot, only noticing the sign afterward. And instead of feeling guilty for his recklessness, he’d mocked the creature. One fire was all it took to burn the thing down. And that was supposed to be their guardian?

Zhou Xing crouched slightly, bright yellow flames flaring around him as he said half-heartedly, “For last night’s… accident, I’ll apologize. But don’t be too upset—after all, you’re about to see your little pet again very soon.”

In the next instant, a dazzling wave of crimson burst out from behind Jiang Rong. Countless vines lashed out like lightning, whipping straight toward Zhou Xing. Little Guaiguai shrieked gleefully, “Bad guy!”

Master Jiang had said it last night—anyone who hit it, it was allowed to hit back. It had been waiting for this moment!

The closer the vines drew to Zhou Xing, the hotter the flames burned. Some of the thinner tendrils quickly ignited, but most of them ignored the heat entirely and coiled tightly around him. Afraid he might struggle, Little Guaiguai simply hooked him by the leg, flipped him upside down, and slammed him into the ground—once, twice, again and again. “Hit you!”

Even though Zhou Xing was a fire-type esper, his body wasn’t nearly as tough as an enhancer’s. Little Guaiguai’s strength was something even Chu Qiang had praised—if it wanted to smash Zhou Xing around, it was no effort at all. By the third slam, Zhou Xing felt half-dead. His ears rang, blood rushed to his head, and the proud flames that had once been his weapon sputtered uselessly. Then, he felt it—thin, sharp vines pricking through his skin. A horrible sound followed: slurping.

Zhou Xing’s pupils shrank, his body trembling violently. That was when he remembered this creature’s name. Bloodthirsty Vine. A plant that lived up to its name—one that drank blood.

He could feel it, the terrifying sensation of his blood and power draining away. His scarred face twisted in sheer panic. He was a second-rank fire-type esper—one of only a handful in the Peace Base, a city of over a million people. And yet, in Jiang Rong’s hands, he hadn’t even lasted thirty seconds. And Jiang Rong hadn’t even moved. He’d been completely subdued by this… plant.

Who the hell was Jiang Rong? And why did the Spark Base—this no-name, tiny little base—have someone this strong? They all looked like low-ranked espers. How could they have this kind of power? Zhou Xing didn’t know. The Spark Base didn’t play by the usual rules.

Jiang Rong had always believed progress should be shared. Every time he collected crystal cores, he found excuses to distribute them to the espers in his base. And with Little Guaiguai—a mutated plant that didn’t even need crystal cores to grow stronger—the Spark Base gathered more cores than they could ever use.

Now, almost every esper Jiang Rong brought with him was second-rank. Even if most were only at the early stage, a single swarm of them could tear apart any so-called elite esper. And his core team? Their powers were already in the mid-to-late stages of second-rank. Given a little more time, they’d reach third-rank. This was why Jiang Rong dared to stand up to the Peace Base. They might be small in number, but in a straight fight… Peace Base wouldn’t necessarily win.

As Zhou Xing dangled upside down in Little Guaiguai’s vines, Jiang Rong smiled. “Captain Zhou,” he asked pleasantly, “are we ready to sit down and have that talk now?”

The Spark Base’s espers laughed, mimicking Zhou Xing’s earlier arrogance:

“Talk? The Peace Base doesn’t even deserve to be compared to the Spark Base!”

“This is survival of the fittest! The biggest fist wins!”

They roared with laughter.

“Come on, Captain Zhou, hang in there! Last a whole minute in Little Guaiguai’s grip and we’ll give you a truck of oil. The longer you last, the more oil you get!”

Seeing their leader helplessly pinned, the Peace Base’s espers panicked. They raised their weapons and shouted, “Stop! Put Captain Zhou down!”

Guan Shao simply raised his hand. Blue-violet lightning crackled at his fingertips. The moment it flashed, the Peace Base’s espers stiffened where they stood and dropped to the ground like felled trees, twitching.

Chu Qiang sighed, shaking his head. “Man… weak and still showing off. What’s the point?”

 

 

This Title is available for faster chapter releases through paid Patreon membership. Any proceeds go to keeping the website running. Check it out HERE.