Global Awakening: Apocalypse Ender's Chronicle

Fiona stretched out as she disconnected from the vision of her rats. The Ironcrest merchants had behaved impeccably, too impeccably, in her opinion.

No misconduct, no hostility, no underhanded tricks. They hadn’t even so much as raised their voices at another vendor.

It was disappointing.

She had hoped, secretly, that they would slip. If they had insulted a shopkeeper, tried to cheat a deal, or shown any aggression, she would have had the perfect excuse to detain them. And once detained, their three merchant vessels would have been confiscated under Blue Haven’s authority.

It sounded petty, of course.

However, Fiona didn’t think it would have been excessive. Those ships were valuable, armored, and already proven to be seaworthy.

Blue Haven could use them. The dockyard was full of untested vessels, Vasco’s workers were even struggling to keep up with the upgrades if not for the arrival of the Mute Builders.

Three ready-made ships would have been a blessing.

But unfortunately, it was all her imagination. The Ironcrest delegation had been polite, respectful, and even deferential. They acted normal, traded fairly, and shown no signs of dishonesty.

Fiona sighed, as she stood up from her meditation seat.

”Boring...”

Her rats squeaked faintly in response as they scattered across the shelter. They were everywhere, scurrying through the marketplace, hidden in the dockyard, even a few tucked away in the Floating Fortress with Shane, keeping her updated on his movements.

Others lingered in neutral shelters nearby, watching for threats or opportunities. Some accompanied clan members on missions, relaying information back to her whenever she connected.

It was exhausting.

She had been sitting in her meditation room for hours, her mind stretched thin across dozens of tiny perspectives.

The constant stream of sights and sounds was useful, but it drained her...

”I need my ME time...”

She decided she had enough.

Fiona brushed off her robes and smelled her armpit...

”Oooff---”

She may have the title of Rat Princess, but she should not be smelly...

Immediately, she went to clean herself. She took a long bath, letting the warm water wash away the fatigue of her Talent.

Afterward, she changed into a comfortable dress, simple but elegant, and tied her hair back.

Her destination was the Clan Hall.

The Clan Hall had been completed only recently, built by the Mute Builders Shane had acquired.

It wasn’t just a building. It was a system-linked structure!

Within its walls, clan members received buffs to their stats, resources could be stored securely, and missions could be obtained directly from the system itself.

As Fiona approached, she admired the craftsmanship. The hall was tall and quite grand. Furthermore, its walls are reinforced with upgraded stone.

Then, the banners of the Eclipse Revenant Clan hung proudly at the entrance.

She pushed open the doors and stepped inside.

The hall was quiet. Only three people were present.

Two workers were mopping and dusting.

The third was a young woman seated behind a desk near the entrance. She was a receptionist hired to manage the hall’s daily affairs.

They hadn’t come with the building, of course. They were hired staff, civilians who kept the place clean and organized.

Fiona nodded to them as she walked past, her eyes drawn immediately to the mission board mounted on the far wall.

There, six papers were pinned neatly to it, each one listing a mission available to clan members.

She approached and checked the board.

[ Eclipse Revenant - Clan Missions: Active Listings ]

[ Mission 1: ”Infestation Sweep”

Objective: Exterminate Rat Zombies nesting in the ruined tunnels near the Blue Haven.

Threat Level: Minimal

Target: 30 Rat Zombies, 1 Rat Leader Zombie

Rewards: Zombie Cores ×25, Basic Resource Crate ×1, Clan EXP +100, Clan Skill Proficiency +5

Completed: 2/10 ]

[ Mission 2: ”Kennel Cull”

Objective: Hunt Dog Zombies prowling near the abandoned kennels on the western pond outside the Blue Haven.

Threat Level: Minimal

Target: 15 Dog Zombies, 1 Alpha Dog Zombie

Rewards: Zombie Cores ×40, Basic Resource Crate ×2, Bronze Treasure Chest ×1, Clan EXP +150, Clan Skill Proficiency +8

Completed: 1/3 ]

[ Mission 3: ”Crawler Nest Purge”

Objective: Destroy the nest of Crawler Zombies spreading through the old sewer system previous connected to Blue Haven

Threat Level: Moderate

Target: 20 Crawlers, 1 Crawler Leader

Rewards: Zombie Cores ×60, Sewer Map Fragment ×1, Rare Crafting Materials, Clan EXP +200, Clan Skill Proficiency +12

Completed: 0/4 ]

[ Mission 4: ”Runner Ambush”

Objective: Eliminate Runner Zombies that have been ambushing travelers along the northern road.

Threat Level: Moderate

Target: 25 Runner Zombies, 1 Runner Captain

Rewards: Zombie Cores ×70, Combat Gear Component Box ×1, Clan EXP +250, Clan Skill Proficiency +15

Completed: 1/5 ]

[ Mission 5: ”Spitter Hive Break”

Objective: Neutralize Spitter Zombies nesting in the ruined watchtower. Their acid attacks threaten patrols.

Threat Level: Guarded

Target: 10 Spitter Zombies, 1 Spitter Hive Queen

Rewards: Zombie Cores ×50, Acid Gland ×3, Mystery Chest (Silver Tier), Clan EXP +220, Clan Skill Proficiency +10

Completed: 0/3 ]

[ Mission 6: ”Screamer Hunt”

Objective: Track and silence Screamer Zombies whose cries are disturbing the residents of Blue Haven.

Threat Level: Guarded

Target: 15 Screamer Zombies, 1 Screamer Leader

Rewards: Zombie Cores ×80, Rare Talisman Ingredient ×2, Clan EXP +300, Clan Skill Proficiency +20

Completed: 0/2 ]

[ Mission 7: ”Juggernaut Suppression”

Objective: Engage and weaken the Juggernaut Zombie sighted near the Ashen Quarry.

Threat Level: Elevated

Target: 10 Juggernaut Zombies

Rewards: Zombie Cores ×120, Random Rare Gift Pack ×5, Clan EXP +500, Clan Skill Proficiency +30

Completed: 0/1 ]

Fiona scanned the mission board carefully as she read through each listing.

”Dog Zombies at the kennels... Crawlers in the sewers... Runners on the northern road...” she muttered. Each mission had its own merit, but none of them called to her the way the first one did.

Her lips curled into a faint smirk.

”Rat Zombies... fitting, isn’t it? My rats against theirs.”

It was definitely a destined battle.

Somehow, it felt personal. She could already imagine her swarm overwhelming the feral undead rodents, tearing apart their leader, and silencing the tunnels once and for all.

”Yes... This one is mine.” Fiona reached out.