Apocalypse Gachapon

Chapter 1687: First round over

The Women Guard members nervously watched the Soaring Crystal, realizing at this moment that perhaps fate rested on where this crystal would land.

Their ”fate” landed on the fourth Bright Star.

All members of the Women Guard let out a sigh of relief, followed by deep resignation.

The fourth star belonged to the Women Guard themselves. They didn’t need to pay any price for staying there.

This was crucial for them because if they had advanced even one more star, they would have faced the powerful mage team, the Cannibal Chain—a scenario far from ideal.

Of course, starting on the fourth star meant that in the next round, they could still land on the seventh star—the one with the terrifying guardian beast—a hurdle that now loomed over them. Having just witnessed the financial and combat prowess of the other factions, the Women Guard couldn’t help but feel helpless.

Yet, despite everything, hope still flickered in their hearts.

They prayed for countless mishaps to befall the other factions, for them to tear each other apart.

Next, it was the Mechanical Genius’s turn.

The mist dissipated completely, its purpose fulfilled. From now on, all factions would be visible to each other on their respective Bright Stars.
The Mechanical Genius, manipulating his metallic war puppet, struck the Soaring Crystal.

”First star?”

Many were surprised by where the crystal landed. Even if the stone hammer was difficult to control, hitting just one star’s distance was too deliberate—proof that the Mechanical Genius had done it on purpose.

The first Bright Star belonged to Cloud Peak.

Recalling the earlier friction between the two factions, everyone now understood: the Mechanical Genius had chosen this deliberately.

He immediately opted for a challenge.

The battle unfolded on the giant screens above each faction’s Bright Star, giving everyone their first clear look at the Mechanical Genius’s forces.

The sight defied all expectations.

When the Mechanical Genius abandoned his mechanical soldiers and instead deployed his varied, grotesque war puppets, his true strength was revealed in full.

In terms of sheer numbers, his metallic constructs weren’t overwhelming—but each one was a nightmare. Their earlier skirmish with Cloud Peak had already left an impression, but now, fighting at full power, they radiated an unstoppable, razor-sharp menace.

A kaleidoscope of mechanical abilities unfolded, most of which no one had ever seen before. In terms of mechanical warfare, calling them a ”kaleidoscope of destruction” was no exaggeration.

The guardian beast left by Cloud Peak on this star wasn’t particularly strong—only a fifth-row tier. Even upgraded, it fell within two minutes under the Mechanical Genius’s assault.

Of course, the Mechanical Genius didn’t escape unscathed. His remaining mechanical soldiers were completely destroyed, and two of his war puppets—already bearing old injuries—were rendered inoperable.

”Surprisingly calm at a time like this.”

Ye Zhongming murmured in appraisal. He had expected the Mechanical Genius to remain erratic, but at this critical juncture, the man had displayed the qualities that had carried him this far in the apocalypse:

Calmness. Strength. Keen judgment. Sharp insight.

The Mechanical Genius hadn’t charged recklessly as before.

Instead, he had taken just one step—seizing one of Ye Zhongming’s stars to weaken his strongest competitor—while positioning himself last in the turn order.

This way, he could:

Watch the other factions fight to the death from a safe distance.

Save money—since all teams would now move forward, none would circle back to challenge his star, eliminating the need to spend on guardian beasts.

With a single decision, he had neutralized the disadvantage of going last and even gained a slight edge.

First Round Results: Bright Star Count

Cloud Peak (on Star No. 8) — 49 stars

Mechanical Genius (on Star No. 1) — 49 stars

Great America (on Star No. 5) — 31 stars

Women Guard (on Star No. 4) — 21 stars

Cannibal Chain (on Star No. 3) — 16 stars

Gyanendra (on Star No. 7) — 8 stars

Cloud Peak gained one star.

Mechanical Genius held steady.

Great America and Cannibal Chain each gained one.

Women Guard lost one.

Gyanendra suffered the heaviest loss—two stars gone.

Cards Used This Round

Cannibal Chain: Head Start Card

Gyanendra: Bad Neighbor Card

Great America: Angel Card

Cloud Peak: Minor King Card + Immunity Card

The competition had grown fiercer.

The wheel space didn’t give them much time to strategize. The announcement for the second round arrived swiftly.

First up: Cannibal Chain.

Now, they faced two choices:

Advance one star (from Star No. 3 to Star No. 4)—landing on the Women Guard’s territory.

Advance two stars (maximum due to team battles)—reaching Star No. 5, now held by Great America.

In terms of faction strength, the Women Guard were the easier target. Governor Spade of Great America was a one-man terror, making the latter option unwise.

But this wasn’t a direct faction clash. It was a battle against guardian beasts. What mattered wasn’t the faction’s strength but their wealth:

Which guardian beast had they bought? How many upgrades?

”Leader Ye… who should we choose?”

Wu Xiu’s voice echoed across the starry expanse, drawing scowls from Great America and the Women Guard.

”This is cheating! They shouldn’t be allowed to collude!”

Many shouted, but their leaders remained silent.

Cheating?

The opportunity was equally available to all. The real question was: Did you have an ally you could trust?

After a brief pause, Ye Zhongming gave an unexpected answer.