49 Apocalypse Rules

In the Andai Kingdom, a convoy of vehicles was traveling from Antu City toward the border of the North Star Country.

Prince Lado sat in a car in the middle of the convoy, looking somewhat listless.

His two sons sat beside him. The older one, in his twenties, spoke up, "Dad, why are you so unhappy? Didn’t you say you negotiated with the North Star officials and they agreed to let us in?"

Lado sighed. "So what? In the Andai Kingdom, we could do whatever we wanted. Will that still be the case in the North Star Country? Besides, you think they’re taking us in for free? It’s going to cost us dearly."

"It’s still better than staying here," his older son said. "There’s barely anyone left alive. We can’t survive on our own."

"You’re right... sigh." Lado looked at his older and younger sons. "Once we get to the North Star Country, I’ll see if I can get you two into that Psychic Power Development Academy."

Hearing this, looks of anticipation appeared on both sons’ faces. They had long heard of the academy; joining it would surely be more exciting than going into a shelter.

"That shouldn’t be a problem, right? Dad, you’re a prince of the Andai Kingdom, after all. Even though the Andai Kingdom is finished, for your sake..."

"It’s hard to say." Lado shook his head. "The North Star—"

SCREECH!!!

The vehicle braked suddenly, and Lado and his two sons lost their balance, nearly lurching into the front seats.

"Idiot! What kind of driving is that!" Lado cursed at the driver, grabbing a handle for support.

"Your Highness, it’s—it’s the car in front! It stopped! I think something’s blocking the road!"

"Hm?"

Prince Lado frowned, a bad feeling creeping over him.

His older son, completely oblivious, said, "Just move whatever’s blocking the road."

The words had barely left his mouth when a series of explosions erupted.

"BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!"

The first few cars in the convoy were blown up one after another, flames soaring into the sky!

Lado’s two sons were terrified, but he himself roared, "Quick! Turn back!"

The driver wrenched the steering wheel to turn around, but explosions also went off at the rear of the convoy. All of Lado’s attendants in those cars were either blown up or burned to death.

Without a doubt, this was a highly targeted attack!

"Dad, what in the world is happening?!"

"Don’t panic, don’t..."

Lado said the words, but cold sweat was pouring down his forehead.

He knew there had to be a mole among his own people who had leaked the information. Otherwise, how would the attackers have known his convoy was heading for the North Star Country today?

"Your Highness, look!"

Hearing the driver’s cry of alarm, Lado looked up and out the car window.

A dozen or so people on motorcycles had already surrounded them, most holding guns. But one hooded man was different; he held a portable camera and seemed to be filming.

Lado took a deep breath. He told his two sons to stay in the car, then opened the door and got out himself. He knew running was pointless; his only option was to negotiate with these attackers.

After getting out of the car, he first surveyed the state of his convoy.

Out of eight vehicles in total, six had been blown up. Besides the one he and his sons were in, only one other had survived.

A middle-aged man in a military uniform got out of that car and walked straight up to the attackers, saying something. A large, bald man among them smiled and nodded at him.

"Qikan!" Seeing this, Lado flew into a rage and roared at the man in the military uniform, "You animal! How dare you betray me!!!"

Qikan was one of his trusted generals, someone he normally had great faith in and had planned to bring along to the North Star Country. He never would have imagined that the man would betray him.

At that moment, Qikan and the attackers walked over. Faced with Lado, whose eyes were practically breathing fire, Qikan looked completely unconcerned.

"Qikan, how could you do this! How dare you betray me!"

"Lado, you don’t still think you’re a prince, do you?" Qikan let out a sneer, the kind unique to an opportunist. "The Andai Kingdom is finished. Even if you are a prince, it’s just an empty title now. What reason do I have to remain loyal to you?"

"You..." Lado took a deep breath. "I’ll deal with you later!" He looked toward the large, bald man. "I take it you’re the leader of this group?"

The large, bald man paused for a moment, then nodded. "I am."

The moment he spoke, his accent stunned Lado.

"You’re one of the North Star People? No, that’s not right..."

The large, bald man asked mockingly, "What’s not right?"

"I’ve already made an agreement with the North Star officials! We’re supposed to enter the North Star Country as refugees and become a part of it! You’re North Star People, so why are you attacking me?"

"You made an agreement with the officials. What’s that got to do with us?" the large, bald man smiled. "We’re not an official force."

"Then who are you?!"

"Just some people running a side hustle in the wasteland, of course." After speaking, the large, bald man waved his hand. A few of his men immediately stepped forward and pressed the muzzles of their guns to Lado’s head.

The large, bald man said, "As a prince of the Andai Kingdom, you must have a lot of good stuff on you. We’re just here for money. Hand it all over and we’ll let you go."

Lado was trembling with nervousness. He did indeed have plenty of items on him, and a lot of Sublimation Coins. ’Logically,’ he thought, ’even facing a dozen men with guns to my head, if I’m fast enough, I might even be able to win!’

But in reality, he didn’t dare move a muscle.

"I know what you’re thinking," the large, bald man said. "You think you’ve collected enough items to put up a fight, right? But as a prince, have you ever really fought or killed anyone? How many times have you even used those items?"

"..."

"Admit it, you don’t have the guts to make a move. Besides..." He jutted his chin toward the car behind Lado. "If you move, your two sons in that car are going to be barbecued. That wouldn’t be good."

"Don’t, don’t touch my sons!" As soon as Lado heard the large, bald man threaten his sons, his resolve crumbled. "I can hand over my things, but I have a condition!"

"A condition?"

"My sons—both of them must cross into the North Star Country first! Then I’ll trade you my things." Lado said through gritted teeth. "Otherwise, I’d rather die than give you a single Sublimation Coin!"

The large, bald man glanced at the hooded man who was still filming with the camera. Seeing no objection from him, he nodded and said, "Fine."

Seeing this, Lado immediately turned and leaned against the car window, saying to the driver and his two sons, "Keep driving. Once you cross the border, you’ll be safe, understand!"

"Dad, what about you?!"

"I’ll be safe once you’re safe, don’t worry!"

With that, after getting a nod of permission from the large, bald man, the driver drove forward.

Lado, still worried, demanded to see the vehicle cross the border with his own eyes. So the group of attackers escorted him, following the car all the way to the border between the Andai Kingdom and the North Star Country.

After the vehicle crossed the border and entered North Star territory, Lado took a deep breath.

The large, bald man said, "Time to trade."

Lado suddenly sneered. "Pah! You think you can rob me, Lado? Dream on!"

He immediately opened his personal terminal in his mind, pulled up his friends list, and tried to trade his Sublimation Coins and items to his son.

The large, bald man’s expression changed. He turned to the hooded man. "Boss, this guy’s trying to pull a fast one! What do we do?"

Lado was surprised to hear this, and he glanced at the hooded young man holding the camera. ’The guy who’s been filming this whole time is their leader?’

"That’s simple." After speaking, the hooded man took his right hand off the camera and snapped his fingers.

BOOM!!!

An explosion sounded. Lado froze, staring forward in disbelief.

The vehicle carrying his two sons and the driver, already inside the North Star border, was now engulfed in a raging inferno from the blast!

"No!!!"

The hooded man kept his camera on Lado. "This expression is great. So natural and vivid. The lighting’s not bad, either."

The surrounding henchmen were all silent. Even Qikan wore a strange expression, feeling a deep sense of shock.

He had originally thought the explosion was caused by an item. But now, it seemed to be the hooded young man’s ability. ’He can control explosions from a distance?’

"I’ll kill you!"

Lado charged at the hooded man, only to be immediately tackled to the ground by several of his subordinates. One of them took out a syringe and injected him, causing him to pass out in seconds.

"A nice ending," the hooded man said with satisfaction as he put away his camera.

Qikan, standing to the side, couldn’t help but ask, "Uh, Leader, may I ask what you’re filming this for...?"

"For art and money, of course," the hooded man chuckled. "People these days are sick of old movies. Compared to the Apocalypse Rules, even old horror films aren’t thrilling anymore, are they? Art needs to keep up with the times. I’ll show you a short film I shot during the time of the Blood Plague. You’ll understand then."

"..."

"Boss, what do we do with this guy?" the large, bald man asked.

The hooded man glanced at the unconscious Lado. "Take him back and force him to hand over his items and Sublimation Coins. He shouldn’t have had time to trade them to his son."

"Got it." The large, bald man waved his hand, and several men came over to put Lado on a motorcycle.

"Um, Leader," Qikan glanced at the burning vehicle inside the North Star Country’s border. "Is this really okay? They had already crossed the border... The North Star officials will find out and investigate soon, won’t they?"

The hooded man shrugged. "So? What does that have to do with me?"

Qikan was stunned. "What?"

"Shadow did this. He and Lado were enemies, weren’t they? It’s perfectly reasonable that he’d take revenge like this." The hooded man patted Qikan’s shoulder. "You can be the witness. The North Star officials will believe you."