Apocalypse Gachapon

“Is there anything else?”

Shasha looked at the dozen or so people seated around the table and asked in a low voice.

After some thought, they shook their heads, smiling and saying things like “It’s the same every month, everything’s fair, we have no complaints.”

“Big Sis Shasha, the evolution potions flowing down from above have been a bit scarce lately. Now that Boss Ye is also a nine-star evolved, we shouldn’t be lacking these, right? Could you talk to the higher-ups? Even if they don’t increase the quantity, maintaining the original amount would be fine.”

A man suddenly stood up, speaking to Shasha with a slightly ingratiating tone.

As small organizations within Cloud Peak’s sphere of influence, their dependence on Cloud Peak had grown even stronger. Under the increasingly refined system, the more they did for Cloud Peak, the more benefits they could receive—and the more they received, the more they had to contribute.

This rule had become a consensus among everyone.

Compared to the life-and-death struggles of other factions in the apocalypse, working within Cloud Peak’s domain, while still dangerous and requiring effort, at least guaranteed that every bit of effort was rewarded. They would never return empty-handed.

There was one more thing—Cloud Peak gave them hope.

Hope might sound abstract, but the strength it brought was undeniable.

Cloud Peak had always maintained an open attitude toward those below. As long as they met many stringent conditions, they could become members of the villa—this hope had become the lifelong aspiration of countless people.

Coupled with various rewards and benefits, it formed a “loyalty system” toward Cloud Peak.

The low-cost purchase of evolution potions was one such benefit.

Normally, obtaining a single evolution potion required spinning the wheel ten times. But at Cloud Peak, depending on the level, one could be bought for between thirty to eighty demon crystals, with higher-level potions being more expensive.

While spinning the wheel was a matter of luck—some might get it on the first try—that was extremely rare. Most people needed at least five spins, with seven or eight being common, and some even needing over ten.

In the long run, purchasing them outright was far more reliable.

Recently, many had noticed that the number of evolution potions flowing down from Cloud Peak had decreased. Logically, they had no right to question this, but this man had promised many of his subordinates that he would buy potions for them, even skimming a little profit in the process. Now, he had taken their money but had no goods to deliver, leaving him in a tough spot.

Shasha’s gaze shifted to the man’s face, making him shrink back in fear.

This woman was no ordinary figure. With Cloud Peak at the center, the surrounding area was divided into four major zones, and Shasha commanded one of them. She was one of the four giants of Cloud Peak’s periphery, leading tens of thousands of fighters and equipped with Cloud Peak’s high-end gear—a true life-and-death authority.

Offending her might mean ending up as a corpse in a ditch by nightfall.

“The fact that Cloud Peak can provide cheap evolution potions is something we should be grateful for, not something they’re obligated to do. You understand that, right?”

Shasha’s voice was as calm as if she were chatting with a close friend, but to everyone else, it felt like a biting winter wind.

Rumors said this woman was Boss Ye’s lover—what was I thinking, asking something like this?! The man now deeply regretted his words.

“S-sorry… Big Sis Shasha…”

“Alright.” Shasha stood up. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave.”

With that, she walked out of the room.

Outside, Shasha took a deep breath of fresh air, feeling much better.

These men, all leaders of their own squads, commanding anywhere from a few thousand to over ten thousand people—how could they not bathe regularly despite their status in the apocalypse?

They reek!

“Big Sis, Old Huang’s question wasn’t entirely unreasonable, right? Our supply of evolution potions has been cut off, too.”

A trusted subordinate walked alongside Shasha as she spoke. She had been following Shasha for a long time and was someone reliable—otherwise, she wouldn’t have brought this up again.

Shasha fell silent for a moment before saying, “Keep this to yourself.”

The subordinate immediately nodded, understanding that what Big Sis was about to say was confidential.

“Cloud Peak is about to launch a large-scale operation, mobilizing a huge number of people. A battle of that scale will inevitably result in losses, and when there are losses, they’ll need replacements. How could they possibly keep selling evolution potions like before?”

The subordinate’s eyes lit up. “Big Sis, are we going too? Back in the secret realm, we joined in and gained a lot of benefits!”

Shasha frowned, displeased. “That was then, this is now. Do you really think Cloud Peak needs a ragtag bunch like us now? Stop dreaming. For now, raise our defenses a level, but keep it natural.”

The subordinate awkwardly agreed, muttering something about “our people aren’t that bad.”

Shasha looked toward the direction of the villa, the same question lingering in her mind as her subordinate’s.

Who is Cloud Peak targeting this time? And why haven’t I seen any signs of their mobilization?

……………………………………………………

The grand hall was filled with the sound of elegant music. Gold-trimmed tables were laden with delicacies and fine wine, and the people seated around them smiled cheerfully, raising their glasses in toast after toast.

If not for the apocalypse raging outside, one might have mistaken this for a noble banquet.

“With that eyesore Gyanendra gone from my Holy City, and you, Saintess, no longer suffering harassment from the East, let us raise our glasses once more on this wonderful day—to celebrate the formalization of our cooperation and toast to our bright future!”

A man seated at the head of the table lifted his wine glass, laughing heartily as he addressed the woman sitting not far away. Without waiting for her response, he tilted his head back and drained the cup in one go.

If there was one person at this gathering who wasn’t smiling much, it was the Saintess of Saint Light Hall.

This woman, who had come to West Asia to establish herself, seemed out of place amid the festivities.

To her left and right sat two of the new triumvirate of the Holy Temple—Zheng Xi and Duo Yan.

“Saintess?”

Seeing the Saintess holding her cup in a daze, Zheng Xi called out softly.

The Saintess glanced at her, barely touching the wine to her lips before setting the cup down. Zheng Xi’s expression darkened slightly, but the city lord at the head of the table remained unfazed.

“Saintess, I know you’re unhappy about our attack on Cloud Peak’s teleportation point. But to earn the city lord’s trust, this was necessary. Only by demonstrating our resolve to break ties can we show our sincerity in cooperation, don’t you agree? Besides, we’re very, very far from Cloud Peak. For a long, long time, we’ll have no dealings with them. Between destroying a teleportation point that won’t invite retaliation and a mutually beneficial partnership, the choice is obvious. Why dwell on it?”

With that, he boldly leaned past the Saintess to grin at Duo Yan on the other side.

“My Earth idioms aren’t bad, right? Those Easterners might be detestable, but you have to admit—their language is profound.”