TAKE ON ME [Survival LITRPG Apocalypse]

January 14th 2027: Utopia

As the first rays of dawn crept into the sky, Bo was already knee-deep in logistical nightmares.

The expedition to the Spider Dungeon was more than just a simple hike. It would involve spending multiple nights away from the relative safety of Raintree; and that was before they considered what they would face when—and if—they found it.

Bo's thoughts overflowed with lists, chores, and contingencies; each one branched out into a dozen more bullshit things to take care of before they left.

I'm gonna lose my damn mind!

The first—and most obvious—consideration was provisions. They would need to stay warm and fed for days. Bo calculated quantities, and wrestled with the balance between carrying too much weight and risking hunger. They also needed to carry their weapons, and tools for cooking, exploring, and prospecting. They needed to carry spares of certain items as well.

Another thought worried and distracted Bo. This was their first real test as a Settlement; he would be leaving all responsibility for Foundation to others, and that made him nervous as hell.

Bo rubbed his temples, and tried to organize his thoughts.

An hour later, Bo had a list of supplies; he was not entirely 'happy' with it, but it was good enough.

Bo moved onto working through the shelter plans with Bridget, and the decisions as to which families would receive them. Everyone could now sleep under a roof, but many people were cramped and needed more space.

They were just finishing up the list when Hana and Tess returned from their reconnaissance mission. They had tracked down and interviewed some of the villagers who had encountered the Wolf Spiders

"How did it go?" Bo asked.

"It sounds like the Spider Dungeon is almost directly north," said Hana. "The people we spoke to walked really far to get here. It's going to be a long trip."

North was what they had figured—it was where most people who had seen a Spider had lived—but it was better to be sure. There was no point hiking for days in the wrong direction.

To reach the Spider Dungeon's suspected territory block, they would have to travel through the two unexplored fiefs to the north that were still part of the Headless Dungeon's area.

"At least we'll be able to explore a couple more fiefs on the way through," Bo said.

Bo scanned the chalk covered slates surrounding him, and turned back to Bridget.

"I've shared blueprints for a [Lumbermill] and [Blacksmith] with Ben. Hopefully, once the planned [Crappy Shacks] are completed, the town can focus on stockpiling materials so that we can get to the [Lumbermill] and [Blacksmith] directly after. Oh, and please see to it that the [Miners] and [Quarriers] all have escorts to and from work."

"Yes. I got it, Bo."

"So, once all the Shacks are up and the materials are gathered, let's get going on the [Lumbermill]. My hope is that the structure can be in place by the time we're back from the Spider Dungeon. I realize we need some further items to complete it, such as a large Iron saw. I'm working on that. In the meantime, I would love to see even the [Blacksmith] started—"

Bridget sighed heavily. "Bo, the [Lumbermill] being 'started' is a long stretch. The [Blacksmith]? There is no way! We're losing a lot of Copper, lumber, mana, and time because of the horrible durability of the [Crappy Shacks]. We have crews that go around all day, just fixing the rotting and broken parts of the cabins so they don't fall down!"

Bo let out his own weary sigh. "I've heard the same about the tools, and anything else [Crappy]. We need better . . . well, everything. Blueprints of better-quality items are what we really need. Chloe has mentioned to me a few times that there has to be some way to upgrade our [Crappy] ones."

"Until then, we're going to need a large labor force, a pile of Copper, and stacks of supplies to keep all the Shacks from collapsing."

It took longer than he wanted, but Bo and Bridget eventually worked through the biggest logistical hurdles.

Bo lowered his voice. "Hey, uh, maybe a odd question but should I find a reason to make Blake go with us?"

Not that he wanted Blake as a hiking companion, but leaving him behind felt worse. At least this way he could keep an eye on him.

And, if we're lucky, a Spider will eat him.

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Bridget bit her lip.

Bo cleared his throat. "Look, I'm not sure of your situation, and it's none of my business, but I'm real nervous about us going and leaving him here."

"I, uh . . . all right. Don't judge me but . . . I always have Blake followed now."

Bo raised his eyebrows.

"What? It's no different from checking someone's location on a cell phone app." Bridget fidgeted with her coat, then met Bo's eye. "I get what you mean about being nervous. It seems like all he wants to do is scare the hell out of everyone. I make a point of visiting people he's spoken to, to keep everyone calm."

Bridget looked at her feet. "We're not speaking to each other. We were already struggling before all this. I just . . . don't know what else to do."

"I don't either, but it makes me feel better to know you're keeping an eye on him."

Bridget nodded.

An awkward heartbeat passed.

Bo clapped his hands. "All right, I'm gonna get back to work!"

The morning stampeded on. With no time to spare, Bo rounded up everyone who would be on the Spider Dungeon trip. He summoned his territory map and shared it with the group; it floated in midair, its usual soft glow invisible against the morning light.

The canvas was divided into a grid—three rows of three squares each—with each square representing a different fiefdom in the Headless Dungeon block. Bo's personal domain lay in the southeastern corner, or bottom-right, which was where both the Dungeon and Foundation were located.

"By heading due north," Bo explained, and pointed at the map, "we will uncover at least two new unexplored areas en route to the Spider Dungeon. Based on conversations with some of the survivors, we expect to find the new Dungeon around here." He indicated a wide area to the north of the Kingdom of Raintree.

"On this trip we have Team One, which consists of the Damascus family, the Robinsons, and Richard. We'll be joined by Megan, who has agreed to come with us to both help cook and also to teach Tom some new recipes."

Megan gave an enthusiastic wave to Tom, who smiled and waved back.

Bo introduced other people to the group: an [Herbalist]; two [Lumberjacks]; two [Hunters]; and two [Miners]. One [Miner] was a prospector like Jeannie, and the other specialized in extracting salt. That sounded weird as hell to Bo, but apparently Job had recommended it.

They would also be joined by a bright and smiling young woman named Ellen, who had found Bo and begged to be included on the trip. Ellen's family had immigrated from Greece when she was younger, and she had been attending college before the apocalypse. She was a [Tamer], and she needed to get out into the wild if she hoped to tame a creature—she was hoping for a cougar, or a wolf.

At first Bo hadn't agreed; they had too many objectives for the trip as it was. However, Ellen was persistent—and loud. Her parents had not survived the first night. She had two younger brothers who were also [Tamers], and they couldn't protect themselves without pets.

Eventually, Bo had relented. Ellen's brothers would stay with Helen while she was gone.

Bo—with several slate boards cradled in his arms—navigated through the cluster of nineteen people. "If you're not part of Team One, then you're along for the exploration part only to look for future resources. You will stay outside the Dungeon and establish camp once we find it. We'll head into the Dungeon and do our thing."

Bo looked at each person before he finished. "If we don't come out in under twenty-four hours, you pack up and leave. You get straight back here."

He looked around the group, then nodded. "If there is nothing else, we depart at midday, which is around two hours away. Make sure you're fully packed up and prepared. Don't keep us waiting."

Next task on the list was to make sure Team Two was ready to handle the Headless Dungeon. Bo and Tess went around camp and gathered them.

Tess wasted no time; she launched into an impromptu quiz about the rooms and monsters in the Dungeon.

"How will you deal with the Wave Room?"

"What's your strategy for handling the Boss?"

"And the psychic Head Collector?"

Mike raised a hand, attempting to slow the flurry of inquiries. "If there even is a Head Collector. It was a Level 4 Dungeon when you guys defeated it, and now it's only Level 1. I spoke with Chloe; even if it is there, it should be significantly weaker."

They went back and forth for a few minutes as Tess asked further questions.

"All right," said Tess, seeming satisfied. "Good luck, Team Two. You got this!"

Bo watched their exchange with an approving nod, then stepped forward to clasp Mike's shoulder. "Good luck."

The next task brought together Bo, his family, the Damascus family, and many individuals who had taken on leadership roles in the town of Foundation. The list included: Bridget; Sam; Steve; Heather; Jeannie, who was now leading exploration and prospecting; a tall thin dark skinned man called Carlos, who was spearheading work at the Copper Mine; Ben, who was overseeing the construction projects; Angie—representing the [Carpenters]; Grace for the [Gatherers]; Art and Sophia for the [Hunters]; Roger—chewing on a piece of fish; and Derek for the [Herbalists]. They gathered at the newly constructed Town Hall, which was quickly becoming the center of their community.

A curious crowd began to form around them. Bo didn't mind their presence: in fact, he appreciated it.

"Hello, everyone!" Bo yelled. He took a second to use his [Volume] spell, and his voice easily projected across the gathering. "I'm counting on all of you to keep our Settlement moving forward. We cannot afford complacency. Bridget and I worked out the next steps for building more shelters, and possibly some other buildings."

He pointed to Bridget. "While I'm away, please work closely with Bridget. She is in charge. Keep her informed of any potential challenges or obstacles well ahead of time."

Bo turned to those responsible for procuring food: the [Cooks], [Hunters], and [Gatherers]. "You're doing exceptional work in keeping us fed and healthy. We appreciate you, and we owe you more than just thanks."

He turned to the [Miners] and [Quarriers]. "Fantastic job so far! Keep digging. We need the materials and the Copper. We've worked out a payment system, so the paychecks for all this hard work are on the way."

Several people cheered or clapped.

Bo moved down the line, thanking each profession group, and sometimes naming individuals—both exceptional leaders, and hard-workers he had observed from a distance.

As the meeting ended, Bo looked across the cheerful crowd. At his people? No, that was weird. At his community. "All right, that's all! I'll see everyone when I get back. Kick some ass, Foundation!"

Bo moved around the campsite and made sure all the groups were clear on their roles and responsibilities while he was gone.

Tess had assembled all the Team captains, and Bo listened in. "Bridget and I have hashed out a rotation schedule. It covers everything from patrols and sentry duty, to escorting goods, and even some light exploration. We're also going to require at least one Team to stay awake each night now."

A couple of the captains groaned.

"I know. It sucks, but it's necessary." She paused for a moment. "I'm still ironing out the details of compensation, so bear with me on that front. Bridget is keeping track of everything everyone does. We'll have some type of backpay worked out, and get everyone paid."

Tess caught Mike's eye. "Team Two will take out the Headless Dungeon later today. Once the Dungeon is cleared, we should have a relatively monster-free week. Team One's aim is to conquer the Spider Dungeon and knock those suckers back to level one. We hope to also retrieve blueprints and recipes, and hopefully get some exploration in. I'm counting on the rest of you to keep everyone safe here, and to be safe yourselves!"

Bo's core glowed as Tess dismissed the meeting.

*****

They paused to have a meal two hours into their journey north.

So far, the walk had been nothing but irritating. Besides Richard bitching about ice bugs, sore feet, and everything else he disliked in the world, Bo had worked through his thoughts on several potential projects. Which was great, except he had no way to relay those instructions.

Bo's frustration led him down a dark path where he mentally stumbled through an endless list of unsolved problems. Their economy was stretched thin; the Copper Mine churned out hundreds of Coins daily, but every single task demanded Copper payments, not to mention wages had to be paid . . . their income barely covered expenses, and left little for future projects. The prospect of loot from the Dungeon offered some relief, but it was dangerous as hell.

Bo took a sip from his steaming bowl of food, and tried to shake off his anxiety. Megan had outdone herself with a [Hearty Rabbit Stew] that warmed their bellies and quickened their pace. Bo held up his bowl and gave Megan an appreciative smile.

No sooner had they set off again, than Richard's complaints filled the air—punctuated by sharp slaps as he waged war against a swarm of insects. Bo couldn't believe he was even thinking it but…

I miss Brad.