Global Awakening: Apocalypse Ender's Chronicle Chapter 1108: Alexander’s Counter Measure

Alexander then proceeded to clarify the potential effects of the potion...

[ Ylla: However Alexander, you are fully aware that my clan does not mobilize based solely on empty promises. ]

[ Alexander: You will be granted exclusive rights to the initial supply. Your assassins shall become unstoppable once equipped with these in the future. Just commit your forces now! ]

[ Ylla: Exclusivity is worthless if the tincture proves unstable. I have witnessed too many purported "miracle elixirs" transform capable soldiers into nothing more than liabilities. If your concoction truly confers a permanent 300% boost, then provide verification. Administer it to your own men. Grant me a chance to witness them weathering Lysandra’s machines while surviving. ]

[ Alexander: We lack the time for such exhibitions! Lysandra’s cannons are leveled directly at our fortifications. If you hesitate, Ghoul Shelter will be reduced to rubble before you observe any proof. ]

[ Ylla: Then perhaps you ought to ingest it yourself. Demonstrate that your physique can endure such power. Should you survive, and should you manifest draconic potency, my organization will move. Until then, my agents remain obscured in the shadows. ]

Alexander’s jaws clenched tightly. Ylla’s demand struck a nerve... she was insisting that he risk his own life, rather than just that of his troops.

[ Alexander: You are pressuring me to stake my own life while the siege is currently underway. ]

[ Ylla: Precisely. If you are unwilling to endanger yourself, what motivation have I to jeopardize my clan when the rewards remain uncertain? ]

Though her voice remained level, her intent was unmistakable; her clan refused to intervene until Alexander verified the Elixir’s efficacy through actual combat.

Alexander’s knuckles turned white as he tightened his grip into a fist.

Kelly insisted on proof, Nestor requested hundreds of Elixirs, and Ylla demanded a live demonstration.

None of them were willing to act yet! Not one would gamble their clan’s safety until he risked everything.

Before he could input another message, the entire fortress jolted.

Boom!

The initial shell impacted the outer perimeter of Ghoul Shelter, causing stone and steel to disintegrate into a cloud of debris.

The standard lighting failed, yet the Light Orbs and generators immediately engaged to compensate...

Beyond the walls, the cacophony of grinding mechanisms signaled that Lysandra’s artillery division had unleashed their barrage.

A subsequent explosion followed, even more thunderous and closer to his position.

The cannons continued their assault, battering both the Barriers and the fortified walls!

The ground beneath Alexander’s feet vibrated violently, while his staff labored to mitigate the strain placed upon the defenses!

***

"Bombardment incoming!" a guard bellowed from the ramparts. "They’ve opened fire!"

Intercept the heavy projectiles using your abilities! This barrier must hold firm!

Alexander sprinted toward the window to witness the distant flashes. Aegis Mechs pushed forward behind the artillery as Warden Units deployed into synchronized firing positions!

Shortly after, the barrels of the Sentinel Mk-V turrets began glowing crimson as they commenced a barrage of suppressive fire!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Turmoil broke out within the shelter.

Alarms blared incessantly while commanders relayed orders and defenders scrambled to secure the walls. Arrows and projectiles were launched outward, but the enemy’s tactical formation remained far too refined!

Alexander’s jaw tightened. He once again accessed the channel with Ylla...

[ Alexander: Ylla! Did you hear that? The shelling has commenced! If you wait any longer, Ghoul Shelter will be turned to dust. I require your agents immediately! ]

Her response arrived slowly and with measured cadence, as if the explosions outside held no significance to her.

[ Ylla: I hear it. Yet, desperation does not alter my stipulations. Consume the Elixir, Alexander. Display its true potential. If you can endure the tempest Lysandra has unleashed, then my Clan will strike. ]

Alexander’s teeth ground together. Outside, another projectile detonated, and he could discern that the Barrier Generator was approaching its structural limit...

Furthermore, even had it not yet failed, tremors were causing dust to rain from the ceilings of the structures!

By this stage, even the imprisoned dragon Roan understood the gravity of the situation!

Alexander stared down at the luminous vial held in his hand.

The Elixir of Draconic Vitality appeared incredibly promising...

However, he ultimately refrained from consuming it just yet! He was not a frontline combatant, after all!

He was a strategist and a commander. His true value resided in manipulation, not reckless heroics. Although possessing the capacity to join the front line, that would not be his wisest course of action!

"Not yet," he muttered inwardly. "If I perish, the Phoenix Phalanx will crumble. I must devise another approach."

His eyes narrowed as he turned his attention to Jennifer, one of his most trusted subordinates.

She stood at attention, waiting for his command. In fact, her hand was already resting upon the pouch housing the Zombie Lord Recruitment Stones.

"Deploy the Tyrants, then summon the Zombie Lords..." Alexander commanded. "Synchronize them with the artillery fire. When the Aegis Mechs unleash their payload, release the undead. Ensure Shane’s forces attract the aggression. We may not command the Lords, but we can certainly steer their fury."

Jennifer offered a nod... "Understood, leader."

Moments passed, and the Tyrant Zombies were unleashed! The gates of Ghoul Shelter creaked open as even more poured out!

The defenders stationed on the walls erupted in cheers!

Then, Jennifer elevated the Recruitment Stones. Pulsing dark energy saturated the air, becoming heavy with malice. The stones fractured, releasing a torrent of necromantic force!

From the emerging shadows, three distinct figures coalesced... These were the Zombie Lords!

As expected, every Zombie Lord triggered notifications for all Survivors within the vicinity!

[ You have entered a Lord-Tier Zombie’s Territory

Name: Bloated Chin ]

[ You have entered a Lord-Tier Zombie’s Territory

Name: Tongue Reaper ]

[ You have entered a Lord-Tier Zombie’s Territory

Name: Raven Horror ]

The Bloated Chin Zombie Lord appeared distended and bloated with corrupted, rotting flesh.

Its torso bulged as if it were on the verge of rupture!

When it opened its maw, acid began to pool and spill; the liquid sizzled upon hitting the ground.

Though standing barely two meters tall—making it smaller than the Tyrants—it possessed immense presence. Every footfall shook the terrain, and its oversized arms were capable of crushing reinforced steel.

The second entity was the Tongue Reaper, a gaunt, skeletal creature. It possessed almost no remaining skin or muscle!

Regardless, it wielded three elongated tongues that moved with the speed of lashes. Each tongue dripped with toxic venom, easily capable of piercing through armor!

The final entity was the Raven Horror, bearing ragged, decaying wings sprouting from its shoulder blades.

Though slight for a Lord, its wings clearly provided the ability to patrol the skies!

While their statures were not particularly imposing at under two meters, their aura was undeniable. These were Lord-tier Zombies, the apex predators of the undead hierarchy. From mindless fodder to these kingly abominations, the Lords stood at the pinnacle.

And now, a trio of them had been set loose.

***

The timing was impeccable. Just as Lysandra’s Aegis Mechs launched another volley, the Tyrant Zombies surged forward, successfully diverting the attention of the artillery crews. The cannons pivoted, firing shells into the charging tide.

Yet, the Zombie Lords remained unbothered!

Bloated Chin marched directly into the bombardment, its swollen mass absorbing the impacts with ease!

The munitions detonated against its hide, but rather than tearing the creature apart, its flesh rippled, cushioning the kinetic shock.

Roooarrr!

It vomited a deluge of acid throughout the battlefield. The caustic bile dissolved armor, melted Warden shields, and ate through the metal plating of a nearby mech!

"What is this?! These Zombie Lords manifest incredible speed!"

"Our Mechs are too cumbersome! It’s difficult to target them at close range! Create some distance!"

"Understood! I’m halting our advance!"

The pilots maneuvered carefully to account for the threat. Their onboard engineers could only perform superficial damage repairs; the preservation of the Mechs was the priority!

The Tongue Reaper danced through the explosions, its appendages lashing out.

One tongue coiled around a cannon barrel, forcing it away just as it fired.

Another swept through a unit of soldiers, crushing bones and dragging them into the fray!

Its third tongue pierced a Sentinel Mk-V turret, and the resulting hiss of venom caused the machine to spark and collapse!

Meanwhile, the Raven Horror soared above the chaotic scene, navigating through the defensive fire. Its talons eviscerated riflemen before they could reload. It screeched as it dove upon a Warden squad, its wings sending them sprawling across the field.

Crash!

It ascended once more, circling to await its subsequent strike.

The battlefield devolved into absolute madness. Lysandra’s well-trained lines began showing clear signs of strain as her troops failed to contain the sudden rampage.

The Tyrant Zombies smashed through the vanguard, their sheer strength shattering the soldiers' morale. Behind them, these three Lords decimated the siege effort!

***

From the interior of her command vehicle, Lysandra narrowed her gaze. She had anticipated resistance, but not of this caliber.

"Zombie Lords..." she muttered. "So Alexander has sunk to such depths. I only hope this represents the extent of his Zombie Lord Recruitment Stones."

Several officers reported the dire situation.

"Commander, the Tyrants are breaching our formation! The Lords are prioritizing our artillery! Providing support to the Warden Units is becoming impossible."

Lysandra nodded curtly... "Maintain formation. Concentrate fire on the Tyrants. Those Lords are beyond control... they will assail anyone nearby. Let them tear into the Phoenix Phalanx as well."

A cold smirk appeared on her lips. "Alexander assumes he is clever. However, unleashing Lords is a double-edged sword. They will decimate us, yes... but they will strike him, too."

Her commands were broadcast throughout the force.

Soon, the Cannons adjusted their aim, and the Warden Units advanced, raising their shields to intercept the oncoming undead tide.

***

Alexander monitored the situation from the ramparts...

The battlefield was a scene of chaos, exactly as he had orchestrated. The Zombie Lords had successfully diverted Lysandra’s fire, forcing her disciplined ranks into disarray.

"This should suffice, surely?! We possess the power to mount a counterattack! You three cowardly Clan Leaders must seize this moment and join the assault!"