Stronghold In The Apocalypse

It was already dusk when they returned to the camp.

Caleb's excitement was doused with disappointment as he didn't expect that their base is actually a walled camp, he wasn't even surprised seeing the high walls as he had already seen numerous castle surrounded by walls made of stone when he was still a knight.

What cause his disappointment more is the survivors living inside are only ordinary people with some are former soldiers, it's because he was expecting that there would be others like Leo and Alex here, sadly for him that there aren't like others like Leo or Alex existing in their current time.

So, he just went to get some rest as ordered by Leo and didn't decline as he knows that he's too weak to do anything right now that even walking is already taking a toll on him.

Currently, Leo is standing in the wall just beside the gate and on his hand is the Level 2 Blueprint, required for upgrading the Stronghold. Leo was looking at the pop up that appeared before him.

[Do you wish to upgrade the Stronghold to Level 2?]

[Cost: 30000 Lumber, 25000 Stones, 15000 Iron]

Leo pressed the "Yes" button on the screen as the rolled paper on his hand that looks like an old scroll turned into an orb of light as it shot towards the sky before bursting into light particles as they slowly descended below.

The people doing their chores below gasped in surprise when they saw that burst of light as they started exclaiming aloud.

"What was that? It looks a fireworks but it didn't produce any sound!"

"It's so beautiful!"

"I think it was Boss who did it! I saw him earlier holding what looks like a ball light that shot upwards and burst itself, producing that!"

"But isn't that dangerous? What if some group of malicious people saw that and make their way here and cause trouble here?"

"Ha! If someone really comes then we'll let them taste their own medicine! With Boss Leo and the former soldiers here, I doubt anyone can even put up a fight with them!"

All of them stopped what they were doing and started talking among themselves but unfortunately for them, the surprises isn't over yet.

"What the heck! The buildings are glowing!"

"My god! What heck is happening now!?

"This is freaking awesome!"

"It's the work of god!"

"Shut up! It's boss's doing!"

"Don't tell me to shut up brat or I'll give a good beating! And Leo doesn't have that kind of ability!"

"Yeah right! You already saw what he can do back then when we were still at LA! I'm telling you, his an Immortal Cultivator so it's not surprising that he can do this!"

"Grow up! What Immortal Cultivator!? They don't exist!"

"Then how do you explain the things he showed back then, huh!?"

"Errr.."

"Yeah, you can't explain it old man, Tsk!"

"Shut up Josh!"

Upon contact with the particles of light, the buildings slowly got covered in a mantle of light and the people started another commotion again that the debate between Josh and Tom even reached Leo's ears as he didn't know if he should laugh or cry.

Looking at them, Leo saw mixtures of expressions from surprise, curiosity, proud and even

annoyance, wore by someone named Tom.

Leo then noticed that the lights covering the buildings are slowly disappearing, revealing significant changes towards the buildings.

The buildings that were made from logs, now are mixed with stones and logs and they became more spacious and a bit bigger especially the Main Hall, that it's lower floor is now all made from stones but the upper floor is still the same.

"This is absurd! Look at these, they became stones when they were just logs earlier!"

"This is seriously amazing and weird at the same time, does Leo possesses some kind of an alien technology?"

"Maybe, maybe not. Boss must have some kind of a high technology that far surpasses our time. Well, maybe it's really an alien technology"

"Damn, should we ask him?"

"Why don't you go ask him then? Let's see if he tells you"

"Yeah~ I changed my mind. Let's just assume its an alien tech"

"My son has this kind of an advance technology?"

"My brother is really amazing!"

"Yeah, Leo is awesome, cool, manly and brave too"

"Just what are you saying Amanda?"

"Uhh..nothing. Just ignore what you heard"

Their voices are so loud that even their voices are reaching Leo's ears which made him laugh especially when he heard what Amanda said about him "Just what the heck are these people thinking in their heads? But I think they are somewhat correct though. If you look at the System in another perspective then it really is an alien technology. After all, I'm practically using a technology from a thousand or maybe just a couple of hundred years" he thought while touching his chin as he just realized it just now.

Leo then jumped down from the wall as he started walking towards the Main Hall. He didn't plan to immediately upgrade the Stronghold into Level 3 as he wants the others surprises to sink into their bones so that next time, they wouldn't have this kind of reactions again as he thought "I don't want someone having a heart attack from so much surprises that they are seeing".

Unbeknownst to Leo, he didn't notice the pair of eyes staring at him from the a window in one of the residences and the person mumbled "Just what the heck is he? Does really have some kind of an advance technology? That's why he can do those weird but somewhat useful things?"

"This young man just got more mysterious. It's like there's a fog hovering around him, protecting what important secrets he has from prying eyes"

*****

Arriving inside the hall, Amanda and Michelle followed behind Leo.

Leo didn't say anything as he just let them be.

He stopped in front of the stele and put his hands on it and said "Lord's Mode"

When he said that, the hologram that was just as big as a computer screen before became as big as 62 inch TV.

Then he heard a gasped of surprise behind him which made looked back and smiled at them

"Hello there, Commander" this time, it was Leo's turn to be surprised because just as he turned back to face the screen, what he saw on the screen was a hologram head of a woman smiling at him.

"Ahhh~! Wh-who are you?" Leo said in stutter as he didn't expect a change like this.

"I'm Gideon commander, I will be assisting you from now on, on supervising the matters of the Stronghold. Please accept this communicator so that you can still order me even if you're not within the Stronghold"

Finishing the words of Gideon, a hole appeared in the middle of stele and a small black earpiece that looks like something that came from Star-Lord appeared.

Leo slowly picked and inspected it with interest.

"You can put that earpiece behind your ear commander and it would immediately attached itself and it would never fall off unless you take it off yourself" Gideon's voice sounded again as he gave Leo instructions on how to use it.

Leo immediately did what Gideon said and put the earpiece behind his right ear. Upon putting it, Leo felt like the earpiece became part of himself.

"Amanda, can you take this earpiece off?" Leo turned to Amanda and said. He wanted to confirm it that it can't really taken off unless its him.

"Amanda"Leo said again as he saw her still not responding and still looking at Gideon wide eyed.

"Ah? Did you say something?" Amanda said as both her and Michelle immediately snapped out from their daze.

Leo chuckled looking at her and said " I said, can you take this earpiece off?" as he pointed at the thing behind his ear.

Amanda nodded as she immediately went over to his side and tried to take it off.

"It won't come off" Amanda said frowning.

"Alright, Michelle, why don't you come over and try it too?"

"Okay"

Michelle walked over and suddenly pulled hard on it that Leo's head even got pulled with it.

"Stop,stop" Leo hastily said.

"It really won't come off. It's like its stuck on your skin"

"Right?" Amanda said agreeing.

"This is awesome~" Leo said smiling widely as he suddenly gave a kiss on both Amanda and Michelle on their cheeks which made them blush shyly.