Chapter 135: Approaching Collapse
Failure to complete the mission?
Pobov appeared a bit puzzled.
Henry took the time to explain patiently.
First, he pointed to himself: “I am the wedge appointed by the Governor in Garbage Town. If the Governor wants to take Garbage Town, I am duty-bound. It would be best if I could settle things before the Governor’s army arrives, so that the troops only need to show up, keep order, and help implement the New Alliance’s system in Garbage Town. If things come to the point of military action, wouldn’t that imply I’ve failed in my duty?”
Pobov thought for a moment, nodded slightly, and accepted Henry’s reasoning.
Then, Henry raised his hand and pointed toward Pobov.
“As for you, Major, you received orders from the Governor to come to this land, to sweep all settlements, relocate populations, and ensure that remaining settlements change allegiance and fully accept the New Alliance’s complete and thorough governance, eradicating any opposition. You’ve performed well, but not excellently. Because within the 200-kilometer range, Garbage Town exists as a unique entity. This place holds a population of 100,000 residents, with another 100,000 relying on Garbage Town’s operations in small territories, and 100,000 more armed scavengers and adventurers who regularly venture into the High Tower Ruins…”
“In terms of population and resource extraction, this is the most important settlement around Revival City. Yet, it sits at an awkward edge of your mission area. The Governor didn’t order you to take Garbage Town with just 800 soldiers, but if you could accomplish that, wouldn’t it elevate an acceptable performance to a perfect one?”
After careful consideration, Pobov had to admit that Denison Henry had convinced him.
There was another crucial point in all this, one that Henry was unaware of. But Pobov understood it himself.
This time, he had come intending to build his merits and to compete for the position of leader of the Fading Wind Brigade, ideally replacing Yan Fangxu, who was poised to become the next commander of the entire army.
He had indeed followed orders to the letter, completing his tasks adequately. Not only had nearly ten settlements within a 200-kilometer radius come under the New Alliance’s control, but in the Battle of Three Pools, they had wiped out the bandits in that region at minimal cost. No one could say he hadn’t done well.
Yet, Pobov himself still felt it wasn’t enough.
Now, Henry was dangling Garbage Town before him, practically making him drool.
Garbage Town… He still remembered that when he had been nothing more than a miner for the Wasteland Society, living a life of utter darkness, Garbage Town had been a place of power in the distance. The entire Wasteland Society’s ability to eat depended on whether the traders from Garbage Town were willing to buy their mined stones for extra rice.
For him, the significance of Garbage Town had felt even greater than Revival City.
And now, was he, a former group leader in mining, actually going to have a chance to lead an army to take over that place?
But, despite his thirst for merit, Pobov still kept his wits about him.
Though Garbage Town could technically count as a settlement within the 200-kilometer radius where the Governor allowed him free rein, he remembered well not to act without orders.
This wasn’t a small settlement. As Henry pointed out, Garbage Town’s sphere of influence encompassed 200,000 to 300,000 people, with its unique industrial ecosystem making almost everyone armed, with some 100,000 battle-hardened scavengers and adventurers used to life on the edge.
They weren’t exactly an army, but in terms of equipment, they might be even better armed than the bandits, with superior combat experience and determination.
If things went awry, and a military conflict broke out, there was no way his 800 men could win such a fight.
Not to mention the possible entanglement with the Greenskin Beasts in Garbage Town.
Thus, he maintained his initial stance: “I need further authorization before I can act.”
Henry smiled: “Of course, once we get the signal connected, we’ll both make the case.”
He had already achieved his goal.
Even if Pobov dared to accompany him right now, he couldn’t let him do so recklessly. He wasn’t bold enough to lead troops into unauthorized actions outside their jurisdiction.
That would be crossing a dangerous line. Even if they succeeded, the Governor would likely find a pretext to punish him afterward.
He wasn’t going to make such a mistake.
Coming to see Pobov, he had indeed come to borrow the military’s radio.
Naturally, aside from that, he had hoped to persuade Pobov.
Executing orders strictly and having Pobov’s willing support were two very different scenarios.
If Major Pobov could back him up when he reported to the Governor, it would improve his chances greatly.
Yet, unexpectedly, this idea fell through.
Because when the radio connected with Revival City, he received a piece of news.
The Governor was no longer in Revival City; he was on the move with Lieutenant Colonel Tadius and the 2nd Infantry Division, advancing towards Garbage Town.
The Governor had left a message.
“I hope my forces will only need to deal with the Greenskin Beasts.”
He had heard these words once before from the Governor, but hearing them again brought new meaning.
He turned to Pobov: “Do you understand what the Governor means?”
“I understand,” Pobov replied. “I will lend you my support. However, I hope it won’t come to bloodshed. My troops will stop 20 kilometers outside of Garbage Town. The rest is up to you. If things go poorly, I’ll wait until the 2nd Infantry Division arrives.”
“That’s more than enough.”
…
Though Henry appeared calm and assured in his conversation with Pobov, he was actually quite anxious.
He calculated his time carefully.
On foot, the distance from Revival City to Garbage Town was just over 200 kilometers. A quick march would take three to five days, and at most, it wouldn’t exceed ten.
Considering the Governor’s statement, that was the time left for him to resolve things in Garbage Town.
He had to act quickly.
Fortunately, traveling with Pobov’s Composite Battalion allowed for a steady pace.
The battalion was almost fully motorized. Even the heaviest 155mm howitzers were mounted on wheels and towed by trucks. All the soldiers, including the engineering and logistical support companies, had troop and supply trucks.
Ironically, the slowest part of the unit was the armored company.
The twelve old tanks trailed behind at a pace of only 20 kilometers per hour, making everyone worried they might break down.
Indeed, that happened.
One tank broke down on the road.
But this did not impact the speed of the entire force. After leaving a team of mechanics and tank operators behind, the rest moved forward, covering 50 kilometers to arrive outside Garbage Town.
By then, it was the dead of night.
The troops halted and set up camp. Denison Henry, accompanied by a small group of followers and guards, approached a party cautiously coming from Garbage Town to assess the situation, explained matters, and then calmly entered the city.
The scouts who had come to check on them did not disperse; they continued to watch Pobov’s troops from the shadows.
Pobov was unbothered.
He had stationed sentries and guards around the perimeter. As long as these people didn’t get too close, they could observe from the outskirts if they wanted.
This composed attitude only heightened the scouts’ sense of dread.
But, of course, what truly intimidated them were the indistinct shapes of cannons, armored vehicles, and tanks looming in the dark.
Add to that the soldiers’ disciplined, well-trained appearance, and the scouts knew that while this unit was small, it packed significant fighting power.
And given the new agent’s backing – none other than Mr. Henry – they could easily deduce this was the Governor’s force from the New Alliance.
…
The next day, Denison Henry met the person he wanted to see.
The man’s name was Jason Swan.
A man with gray-streaked hair and a stern expression, his features were harsh, worn by hardship and time.
He was the most powerful agent in Garbage Town.
Jason Swan had spent his youth in Garbage Town, starting as just another scavenger, bold and fearless, joining a small adventure group, and eventually becoming its leader. Over time, he transformed the team into a broader enterprise, seized a portion of the raw material trade, and opened trade routes…
He had become an agent and then gradually the most powerful one.
In a few words, it was a brief story, but from the age of fifteen, across thirty-five years, he had survived countless schemes, life-or-death battles, to reach his current position.
He controlled the largest raw material processing plant in Garbage Town and held a 20% share in its commerce. His adventuring group, the “Iron Clock Blade,” was one of the most formidable armed forces in Garbage Town.
His industry, coupled with military might, established Mr. Swan’s current reputation.
He rarely smiled and showed only his austere side, even in challenging times. In a way, it maintained a sense of stability for others.
Whether he was truly calm, no one could say.
This wasn’t Denison Henry’s first time meeting Swan.
In past encounters, Henry had been humble and insignificant. Even after becoming an agent himself, the dynamic between them had hardly shifted.
Outside of his control over the Alloy and Plastic Steel industries, Henry’s actual influence was nowhere near that of this true power broker in Garbage Town.
But today, he needed to adjust his thinking and stand tall.
He represented the Governor!
His attitude had changed.
Standing behind him was the master of the entire planet
. After securing Revival City, that title was no longer just honorary but backed by real and formidable power.
With such a strong backing, why should he bow and scrape before a mere armed merchant in Garbage Town?
Old habits die hard!
As if sensing something, Swan raised his head, his eagle-like gaze sweeping over Henry’s face. He spoke slowly, his voice slightly raspy.
“Are you here to persuade me to surrender to the Governor in Revival City?”
Henry’s legs felt weak, and rumors of Swan’s ruthlessness flashed in his mind.
He wasn’t exactly made of steel.
But he still struggled to keep his composure.
“Yes,” he replied, “do you have another option?”
“I could kill you,” Swan said coldly.
Hearing this, Henry clenched, then quickly relaxed.
At first, the words sounded threatening because Jason Swan indeed had the means to do it.
But after a closer look, it was clear Mr. Swan was merely putting on airs.
A month ago, if Henry had dared to mention surrender, Swan might not have wasted words, simply shooting him on the spot.
Now, though, his talk of killing Henry only revealed a hint of unease.
Realizing this, Henry’s confidence increased.
“Of course, you could do that. You could be considered the master of Garbage Town, and killing me would be no hard task,” Henry flattered him. But then, he shifted gears: “But that’s not a choice.”
Swan remained silent, staring at Henry.
But Henry’s momentum grew: “Isn’t Garbage Town already beset by internal and external troubles? The Greenskin Beasts are causing a reduced output – a minor problem. When scavengers and adventurers realize that the danger in the High Tower Ruins has increased while rewards have dwindled, will they still gather here? Especially now that Revival City has boosted its appeal for refugees, the policies there are enticing.”
“When those scavengers and adventurers leave, what will happen to the industries that rely on them? Taverns, brothels, clothing shops will all close; the raw material processing plants will shut down; the once-thriving trade will grind to a halt. Garbage Town will become a truly forsaken dump.”
“Destruction doesn’t require the Greenskin Beasts breaking through our defenses and slaughtering us. They only need to maintain this pressure, making scavenging a high-risk, low-reward endeavor, and our town will collapse on its own.”
Henry outlined the crisis from an economic perspective.
Swan merely listened in silence.
This wasn’t groundbreaking insight.
Many had seen the danger; it was already happening.
Most adventurers and scavengers in Garbage Town weren’t personally tied to the agents. Some were hired, but many belonged to independent groups. They ventured into urban ruins, scavenging for items to sell for survival; if they found usable technology, artwork, or relatively intact psionic crystals from the pre-war era, they could make a windfall.
But now, fighting the Greenskin Beasts had visibly increased the risk and lowered rewards. They were also being forcibly recruited to reinforce the most intense front lines. Though they received pay and gear, the fighting was grueling. Many adventurers refused, with entire groups choosing to leave Garbage Town.
The exodus was still minor, but it was a grave warning – the first cracks in the dam.