Apocalypse Chapter 92: The Sovereign Base

Chapter 92: The Sovereign Base

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

The gas station was brightly lit. Everyone ate their late-night snacks while working on the SUV that Junjun had badly dented. Jiang Rong’s SUV was known for its safety, but under Junjun’s weight, the roof had twisted and warped.

For safety’s sake, the SUV would be driven back to the base by other espers for repairs. To make sure the kids could rest well, the teammates had brought the largest and finest RV from the base.

Chu Qiang hauled gear from the SUV’s trunk into the RV, grumbling as he worked. “Xiao Jiang, I’m not trying to lecture, but don’t you know what kind of world we live in? You’re heading to the Sovereign Base with so little gear. If you run into any mutant beasts on the road, do you really think Little Fairy and Little Guaiguai can handle it all?”

His words annoyed the two mutant plants. Little Fairy silently jabbed a sharp thorn at Chu Qiang’s backside, while Little Guaiguai twisted its vines and muttered, “No problem…”

Jiang Rong slurped his instant noodles without replying. If the situation weren’t so urgent and he didn’t want to alarm the team, would he have dared leave at midnight with his son? He was bold because the path from the Spark Base to the Sovereign Base had already been cleared. As long as no surprises popped up, he was confident in his ability to get them there.

Chu Qiang yelped and jumped up. “Little Fairy, why are you stabbing me again?! Xiao Jiang, you need to keep your Eyries cactus in check!”

Little Fairy twisted its small body and chuckled softly. Even as a tiny ball, it could protect Master Jiang. Having his teammates nearby eased Jiang Rong’s burden on the road. But the thought that the Sovereign might be waiting in ambush kept his mind heavy.

Guan Shao picked up a piece of beef from Jiang Rong’s bowl and handed it over. “Don’t overthink it. If the Sovereign dares to attack us, we’ll just see who’s stronger.” Although the Spark Base had fewer people, if it came down to a straight fight, the outcome wasn’t clear-cut.

The kids were thrilled by the huge RV. Jiang Xiaoheng peeled off his protective suit and, with help from his older siblings, explored the interior. “Daddy, this RV is so big and beautiful!”

Leilei proudly explained, “Of course! This is one of the best RVs in the world. Before the Great Crisis, it would’ve cost over ten million.”

The three kids’ mouths dropped open in surprise. “Wow!” Jiang Hao asked after a pause, “Big sister, how much is ten million?”

“Yeah! Can we buy lots of little buns with that?” Yuanyuan chimed in. Leilei thought for a moment before nodding enthusiastically. “Yes! You could buy so many meat buns that you’d never run out your whole life!”

Their eyes sparkled. They had no idea the vehicle they were riding in was so valuable—and now they felt responsible for protecting it. After finishing their noodles and taking a short rest, the convoy slowly resumed their journey. This time, Jiang Xiaoheng no longer needed the cramped child seat; he lay down on the RV’s big bed with Xiao Hao, Yuanyuan, and Leilei, and soon all the little ones were fast asleep.

Jiang Rong glanced at Guan Shao, who was driving single-handedly. “I’ve noticed you can handle any vehicle. That’s impressive.”

Guan Shao kept his eyes on the road. “It’s just from practice. I can even fly planes. Maybe one day I’ll take you flying. But for now, get some rest. You haven’t slept properly in days. When you wake up, I’ll teach you how to drive the RV.”

Jiang Rong adjusted his seat and leaned back. “Alright, I’ll nap for a bit.”

No sooner had he closed his eyes than the car slowed down abruptly.

Just as Jiang Rong was about to sit up, Guan Shao said, “It’s nothing. We’ve arrived at the Peace Base service station. You can keep sleeping.”

The espers at the Peace Base recognized the Spark Base’s team and warmly greeted them. “Brothers, out on a mission? Need some fuel? Come on, bring those instant noodles over here!”

The Spark Base’s team wasn’t about to take free handouts, so they brought out cigarettes and liquor to share in return. Both bases’ espers laughed and chatted. When the Spark team was ready to leave, the Peace Base even sent an escort to see them off.

Watching this, Jiang Rong sighed softly. “Seems like the Peace Base is still peaceful… though I wonder how long this peace will last.”

Guan Shao whispered, “At least the two bases get along now.” What happened next? Nobody could say.

The Sovereign Base lay northwest, about seven hundred kilometers from the Spark Base in a straight line. Given the current roads and weather, Jiang Rong’s group expected to arrive in three days.

The first two days were smooth, with barely any mutant rats on the road. But on the third day, trouble arose: a landslide blocked the road ahead. Taking a detour would add over two hundred kilometers, and the mountainous terrain made the alternate route riskier.

After a moment’s thought, the espers decided to clear the obstacle themselves. Although their numbers were limited, they believed they could clear the blocked stretch by nightfall.

Leilei’s spatial storage held several bulldozers and excavators, and the team worked efficiently with clear roles. The landslide spanned three kilometers, and soon they’d cleared over three hundred meters.

Suddenly, a buzzing sound came from above. Looking up, they saw a black drone hovering overhead. Chiang Jinhu chuckled darkly, “Damn, they’re blocking our way here?”

Times were rough. Some small bases had turned to highway robbery. Jiang Rong’s convoy of ten vehicles was likely being watched; maybe the landslide was sabotage.

As they prepared to fight back, a lazy voice came from the drone’s speaker. “Yo, got you blocked, huh? Master Guan, looks like your skills aren’t enough. Step aside—watch the Sovereign Base clear a path in an instant. Move it, move it, don’t cause trouble.”

Weng Chenggang’s face darkened. “It’s Fengzi. Nobody’s this annoying except Gu Zefeng.”

Guan Shao exchanged a glance with Jiang Rong, then nodded. Jiang Rong called out, “Bring in the construction vehicles.”

True to their reputation, the Sovereign’s team wasted no time. Before long, a tunnel appeared through the landslide.

Pan Pan dropped to his knees in awe. “Esper powers can be used like that? If we’d known, we wouldn’t have struggled so hard!”

Meng Weixian spoke seriously, “That’s not necessarily true. Even if the Sovereign’s espers can open tunnels, we might not be able to do the same.” He even suspected that the landslide was deliberately caused by the Sovereign to block other bases’ espers.

Once the tunnel was opened, several SUVs drove out. Gu Zefeng, dressed in a black trench coat and smoking a cigarette, got out. He scanned the area and then focused on the large RV. Squinting, he appraised the vehicle. “Nice ride. It belongs to us now, the Sovereign.”

Without waiting for any reaction from the Spark Base espers, Gu Zefeng stepped onto the stairs and entered the RV. “Master Guan, you’ve really gone decadent, huh? Such a luxurious RV. But I like it~”

Jiang Rong’s face darkened. His kids were still inside. Just as he moved to stop Gu Zefeng, Guan Shao shot him a warning glance. “It’s fine. Gu Zefeng won’t harm the kids. Don’t worry.”

They were now on the Sovereign’s territory, still hoping the Sovereign would save Jiang Xiaoheng. Forget about sending a whole RV; even if Gu Zefeng asked for the moon, as long as they could get Xiaoheng back, they would pay.

Gu Zefeng took two steps forward and plopped down on the RV’s couch. “Never thought you’d have the guts to come to the Sovereign. I’m not really—”

His words were cut off as the sliding door beside the couch opened. Three children stepped out cautiously. Jiang Hao carefully placed a glass of water on the table in front of Gu Zefeng. “Uncle, please have some water.”

Jiang Xiaoheng brought a fruit plate and put it on the table. “Uncle, please eat some fruit. These are our base’s small melons—they’re really sweet.”

The older kids took away the water and fruit, while Yuanyuan tilted her head thoughtfully and pulled three candies from her pocket. She placed them in front of Gu Zefeng. “Uncle, have some candy.” When Gu Zefeng wasn’t looking, she quietly took back two of the candies.

Gu Zefeng was speechless. Seeing no reaction, Jiang Hao grew bolder. He fixed his gaze on the cigarette in Gu Zefeng’s hand and said seriously, “Uncle, smoking is bad for your health.” Jiang Xiaoheng nodded in agreement. “Yeah, yeah.”

Gu Zefeng raised an eyebrow. Were these kids complaining about his smoke stinking? They were clever—interesting. With a lit cigarette stub, he flicked it out the door, then scanned the kids and looked at Jiang Hao. “You’re Jiang Hao?”

Jiang Hao nodded. “Yes, I am Jiang Hao.”

Gu Zefeng’s lips curled into a smirk. “You resemble him.” Jiang Hao looked more and more like his biological father, Jiang Zhen. Then he looked at Jiang Xiaoheng. “Jiang Xiaoheng?”

Jiang Xiaoheng nodded. “Yes. Uncle, who are you?” His voice lifted softly at the end, a gentle tone that made anyone feel at ease. Gu Zefeng’s playful side emerged. “I’m your great-uncle. Call me Great Uncle Gu.”

Jiang Xiaoheng looked puzzled. This uncle looked so young—how could he be a “great-uncle”? But since he said so, he had to go along with it. Jiang Xiaoheng said earnestly, “Great Uncle Gu~”

Gu Zefeng laughed heartily. Guan Shao and Jiang Rong’s son called him “grandpa”—did that mean he was their dad now? Ha! This was amusing! He wanted to see their faces when they found out.

Yuanyuan quickly joined in. “Great Uncle Gu, aren’t you hot wearing so many clothes? I have a little dress you can wear.”

Jiang Hao expertly took a pair of shoes from the shoe rack by the door. “Great Uncle Gu, your shoes are dirty. Changing into slippers will be more comfortable.”

At first, Gu Zefeng had tried to keep up the cold, cool guy act, slouching on the sofa. But soon, with his cigarette finished, he had taken off his coat and shoes. The three kids had him thoroughly taken care of.

Guan Shao nodded to the Sovereign espers. “Please, lead the way. Captain Gu, you’re riding with us.”

The RV door closed slowly. Guan Shao smoothly started the vehicle. Jiang Rong glanced back, thinking how strange it was that his three kids were so friendly with Gu Zefeng. They crowded around him, feeding him fruit and snacks, and Gu Zefeng seemed to enjoy it, sitting with his legs crossed and a satisfied smile.

But this was good—if the kids could build a good relationship with Gu Zefeng, the Sovereign would be more motivated to help Xiaoheng.

*

Under the escort of the Sovereign’s espers, after several hours, they finally arrived outside the gates of the Sovereign base. Nestled deep within the mountains, towering peaks formed a natural barrier. All people and vehicles entering or leaving were subject to strict inspections.

Throughout the journey, Guan Shao and the others hadn’t had a chance to speak with Gu Zefeng. Now, with the Sovereign base looming just ahead, a sense of tension hung in the air. No one knew what conditions the Sovereign would demand before agreeing to treat Xiaoheng.

Guan Shao slowly pulled the RV to a stop outside the base gates. Espers from the Sovereign approached, holding advanced scanning devices. Gu Zefeng rose from the sofa. “Open the door.”

The Sovereign was technologically advanced. Their devices could instantly detect whether someone was an esper and identify their powers. Among the dozen or so from  the Spark Base, aside from Meng Weixian and the three children, the rest were second- or third-level espers. Even within the Sovereign, such a group was top-tier.

Their vehicles were not allowed inside. Any mutated animals entering the base had to wear specialized collars. Lele, Junjun, and the sly cat could wear collars, but Little Guaiguai and Little Fairy could not, so they had to stay outside.

The three children looked downcast as they watched their beloved RV being driven away by a stranger. Yuanyuan sighed, glancing sadly at her small hands. “Oh no… the car’s gone.”

Gu Zefeng ruffled Yuanyuan’s hair and then picked up Jiang Xiaoheng. “Don’t worry. You’ll get the car back, but you have to behave. And you,” he said, looking at Xiaoheng, “you need to cooperate with the doctors, okay?”

Xiaoheng hugged Gu Zefeng’s neck in response. “Okay~”

Gu Zefeng smiled with satisfaction, holding Xiaoheng in his remaining arm as he called to the other two kids, “Come on, Uncle’s taking you to ride in our big base vehicles.”

Jiang Rong hesitated. “Captain Gu, may I ask—”

Gu Zefeng cut him off with a cold glance. “Don’t make deals in front of the children. Trust me, you’ll all get in.”

Jiang Rong pressed his lips together and followed Gu Zefeng with long strides. The others followed closely behind.

The Sovereign base was enormous, situated in a mountain basin. Steel walls topped with high-voltage fences surrounded the basin. Inside, the residents lived normal lives under the protection of the walls and fences.

After passing through the steel gates, the Spark Base’s espers boarded a large bus, while Gu Zefeng took the three children into a smaller vehicle. The bus followed behind as both vehicles drove deeper into the base. After more than half an hour, the small vehicle still hadn’t stopped.

Jiang Rong, anxious about the children, finally spoke cautiously to the driver, “Excuse me, where exactly is Captain Gu taking us?”

The driver gave Jiang Rong a suspicious glance, then answered in a strong regional accent, “To the research institute! Didn’t you say you’re here to treat the kid? Our experts have been waiting a long time.”

Jiang Rong froze. Gu Zefeng had gone straight to treat Xiaoheng? That didn’t fit his usual domineering reputation at all.

 

 

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