Global Awakening: Apocalypse Ender's Chronicle

As the crowds of the marketplace began to thin and the sun was slowly dimming, Shane finally decided it was time to leave. He had bought what he needed, made a few unexpected connections, and even walked away with a new merchant ally and potential workforce.

With a simple nod of farewell to Reed, Shane turned his back to the stalls.

It was time to return to his shelter…

‘I guess Kang Zhen knew not to disturb me for now.’ Shane muttered to himself as he confirmed that Kang Zhen only sent a few people to observe him and didn’t interact with him as he requested.

Behind him, Reed stared after Shane’s retreating figure, his worn fingers clutched tight around a half-cracked tablet…

His breath caught in his throat for a second… There was disbelief etched into his face as he still couldn’t believe that he had met the Rank 1 Survivor here.

Although he seemed normal while talking to Shane, he was actually already excited deep inside. It was not easy living with their choice of work, and now, an opportunity came.

He was hoping that they would do well at whatever work Shane was about to give them and perhaps, they could use that chance to promote their Clan even more.

And then, he moved.

Fumbling with excitement, Reed opened their private system-linked Clan Chat. The interface activated, displaying the name of their humble group:

[ Great Mercenary Clan | Rank 55 | Members: 55/100]

The chat was quiet, as usual. Most of his people were either out on small gigs or biding time in their modest two-story Clan Hall within the worker’s quarter of Ivory Gear Shelter. But Reed’s fingers were already flying across the haptic keyboard.

[ Reed: GUYS. I TALKED TO HIM. I ACTUALLY TALKED TO HIM. ]

[ Reed: SHANE. YES. THAT SHANE. THE ONE WHO OWNS THE ECLIPSE REVENANT. ]

[ Reed: He said he might have some work for us soon. HE ACTUALLY CONSIDERED US. ]

Seconds passed.

Then—

[ Stephanie: …Wait. You mean the Shane? ]

[ Jayvee: Bro you’re trolling.

[ Reed: I’m not! I swear by the Frostlands Contract. He said it himself. He’ll message me if he needs hands. ]

[ Gustav: What kind of work?

[ Reed: Dunno yet. He said random jobs maybe. Could be construction. Could be logistics. Could be minor zombie lairs. Who cares?! It’s Shane. Once we complete one of his requests, we could use it as our promotional tag… ]

A sudden surge of system pings filled the Clan Chat.

[ Clarence: Reed, I just finished digging latrines for a swamp camp, and now you’re telling me Shane might need us?! I hope it will be a decent job. ]

[ Jayra: I’m in the middle of patching zombie bites on these horses. But I’m ready. SAY THE WORD. ]

[ Zig: Guys, I literally have no job this week. I’m an awesome painter too… Anyway, my Strength should be quite decent now. If Eclipse Revenant wants someone to carry bricks from A to B, I will CARRY. LET’S GO. ]

[ Aki: AHHHHHHHHH!! Guys remember when we were number 78?? We’re 55 now and if Shane hires us, we might even break top 40!! I’m sure many other Survivors will join us after. ]

[ Zig: That’s true… If we gain access to his Shelters, we will be popular. ]

Reed laughed softly, his eyes misting as he scrolled through the wave of excited replies.

These were his people. They were fellow survivors, yes—but more than that, they were also a family held together by unshakable teamwork.

***

Meanwhile, within the modest two-story Clan Hall of the Great Mercenary Clan, activity slowly buzzed to life.

On the second floor, where bunk beds were lined up in rows, a few members quickly scrambled to pack up their idle gear.

A group of four was finishing maintenance work on reinforced helmets. They were very important for all the members of the Great Mercenary Clan.

Across the hall, a pair of twins were recalibrating a cart meant for mining… Apparently, mining jobs had been quite famous for some time. Because of that, they needed top-quality materials like the cart they were working on.

Downstairs, the common room smelled faintly of the instant noodles they bought in the store.

There was also a mission board displaying the Clan Missions and other statistics of their Clan…

Aside from that, the requests of other Survivors were also here… There were a couple of road-clearing tasks, a patrol request for a nearby mutant Zombie Rat nest, and a delayed water-extraction assignment in a certain marsh zone.

Jayvee, one of the senior members, stood from the kitchen table and grinned as he read the chat.

“Looks like we’re finally getting noticed,” he said as he read through the Clan Chat.

“By the number one Clan Leader, no less,” muttered Clarence as he adjusted his goggles.

Everyone was stirring now. Whether they’d just returned from work, were prepping for shifts, or recovering from minor injuries, they were all hoping for that one big job that could put their Clan . Some began to polish their weapons. Others went over maps. Even the Clan’s small armory was opened, a few Level 30 members checking their ammo stocks just in case.

“Shane…” one whispered. “If we do well, this could change everything.”

Reed stared at the chat window one last time before setting it down.

He looked at the faded banner hanging at the far end of the hall. It was already worn but it was proudly displaying their crest: a pair of crossed tools and swords encircled by flame.

The Great Mercenary Clan wasn’t glamorous. They weren’t powerful. But perhaps, with the small jobs, the hard jobs, the boring ones no one else wanted, they could also prosper…

They just might get their break.

***

Zig sat cross-legged atop the flat concrete roof of the Clan Hall…

As a Survivor with Painter’s Will Talent, his fingers were stained with a mix of blue, orange, and silver pigment. They were from his conjured, palm-sized Mana Palette hovering nearby.

He hummed quietly to himself as he continued to practice despite not having any work.

Zig’s Talent was still Rare Grade. It wasn’t flashy like other magical talents as it couldn’t help him cleave through hordes of zombies or create shelter…

But in its own way, it was magic—literal, artistic magic.

His Talent allowed him to materialize vivid illustrations into real-world blueprints, which could be used for crafting or building.

He could also enchant murals with passive buffs—temporary morale boosts, calming auras, or even basic healing effects when people rested nearby. However, the healing effects were just too weak right now, and he probably needed a whole building painted with his hands to have significant effects.

Lastly, he could also record moments in time with perfect detail, better than cameras.

Most people underestimated his power.

To them, art was a luxury in a post-apocalyptic world.

But within the Great Mercenary Clan, Zig’s work had become central to morale. Every floor of the Clan Hall featured one of his paintings—scenes of old cities, serene meadows, or familiar figures standing against the Zombie Horde…

As for his most famous work, it was a mural in the dining area of a woman sitting by a campfire surrounded by laughing survivors—Hope in the Aftermath, it was called.

Of course, if he didn’t have any work related to his talent, he could also work in the mines, become a bricklayer, or any hard labor work.

A couple of days later, with no job being offered, he soon saw a message in the Clan Chat.

[ Reed: Yo, Zig! Urgent job. One of Shane’s people requested you personally! ]

Zig blinked. He wiped his fingers on a cloth and sat up straighter. He didn’t expect that Reed had already given them their talents.

[ Zig : Me?? What kind of job? Is it painting? ]

[Reed: Yes, a painting. For Shane. His sister, Diana, wants a portrait done. And it needs to be… special. ]

Zig smiled as this was the work he had been waiting for.

“I didn’t know he had a younger sister… I hope that the pay is good.” He muttered.

According to Reed, Diana wasn’t just his family—she was one of the youngest high-ranking members of Eclipse Revenant.

[ Reed: She wants a full-scale painted portrait of Shane. For a private chamber. Maybe a gift or a keepsake. She said, and I quote, “Don’t make him look too grumpy or scary. I want people to remember he has a heart.” LOL.

Zig laughed out loud at that. “No pressure, huh?”

[ Reed: Come down. You’ll be portal-traveling to the Eclipse Domain. They’ve sent someone to escort you. Use the Portal Hall.

[ Zig: WAIT. Portal?? That’s real??

None of them had ever used a Portal at all. Their best mode of transportation was just a horse-drawn carriage from Ivory Gear Shelter. The existence portal seemed to be too advanced for them!

He couldn’t help but guess that it was a system reward for Rank 1 Survivor or something similar.

[ Reed: Bro. It’s real. It’s wild. We also just got assigned to a road project in the Eclipse Domain, and guess what? WE’RE USING A PORTAL. COME NOW. ]