Apocalypse King: Recruiting S-Tier Beauties With My Ruler System Chapter 185: After the Storm, Before the Dawn

March 23rd, 10:21 PM

Gu Tianhao’s Compound, Main House

John Wang POV

——

I woke up on sothing softer than a stone floor. For a second, I thought maybe I was dead. But then the aches ca back in slow, spreading, dull aches. My ribs pulsed. My knuckles stung. The familiar aftertaste of blood and victory clung to the inside of my mouth.

I cracked one eye open.

Soone had laid a thick blanket over , patchy but clean. Lamplight glowed from a few battery lanterns set around the main room. The floor was still dirty, streaked with muddy footprints and scuffed from boots, but no gunshots, no shouting.

Tang Wei knelt by the far wall, helping a couple of older n out of broken cuffs. The room humd with low voices, villagers, refugees, a handful of girls huddled by the hearth, all looking hollow-eyed but safe.

Mu Qinglan was sprawled beside , head pillowed on my arm, breathing slowly. Blood streaked her hair, but it wasn’t hers. Jiang Roulan sat on my other side, back against the wall, knees pulled up, jaw set, and eyes focused on the flickering lantern.

My heart settled. I was alive. We all were.

I reached up, tracing the scar where Gu Tianhao’s bullet had passed through my chest. The wound itched, but already felt closed, skin rough and tight with new flesh.

[You’re too reckless, John!]

[Regeneration Complete. You are now at full health!]

I almost laughed.

Tang Wei noticed I was awake, then tossed a grim smile my way.

"Nice of you to join us, leader."

I sat up, blinking the exhaustion out of my eyes. "Did we lose anyone?"

She shook her head. "A few hurt. Most just shaken up. but the villagers... many died and most are still in shock. You took the worst of it. Except maybe for Gu Tianhao."

Mu Qinglan groaned, stretching her arms and shooting a look that said, Don’t you dare act like a martyr!

I t her gaze and grinned.

Outside, the moon was rising over the ruined courtyard, shining silver on broken glass and bodies dragged out for burning.

We’d survived for now...

I just wanted to leave this place and return to the safety of our base...

Gu Tianhao died.

I didn’t ask how it happened.

Soone cut off his head when I was unconscious.

The heat from Mu Qinglan’s cheek pressed against my shoulder, her breath tickling my skin. I let her linger a mont longer, then eased her off, careful not to wake her. My body protested every movent—muscles tight, joints aching from yesterday’s fight. Still, I sat up, rubbing the bruise under my ribs.

"Where’s Roulan?" My voice was hoarse, quieter than I intended.

Tang Wei wiped her brow and nodded toward the kitchen. "She’s with Shen Yifei. Both are keeping the others from panicking. So villagers are unstable, but we’ve stabilised the worst cases."

I nodded, a twinge of relief sneaking through my fatigue. "Thanks. You’ve saved my ass more tis than I can count."

"Wei... you’re so good at this." My voice faltered, but I didn’t regret it.

She looked at with wide eyes, and I could only shrug my shoulders and respond with a bitter smile, "I’ve got a lot to learn from you."

In the corner of my eyes, Qinglan scowled at the caral-skinned beauty, but I didn’t care... the truth was she really helped .

She gave a mixed look, part amusent and sothing else.

"You’ll get used to it, don’t doubt yourself... we are here because you brought us this far."

"Haha, thanks Wei. I’ll go visit the others."

Qinglan gripped my clothes, but I gently pushed them off. "You should rest, Lan’er."

I pushed myself up, feet bare on the chilly floor. My System still humd at the edge of my thoughts, the ache in my chest fading as the last healing process finished. Every step sent a new warning through my body, but I forced myself forward.

Past the main room, I found the kitchen crowded with survivors.

Zhou Xue was ladling thin soup into tin cups.

Liang i and Liang Qiu sorted through boxes of scavenged supplies. In the corner, Shen Yifei sat perched on a stool, hands folded, eyes focused on nothing.

It was apparent she was far too worried to eat right now.

Jiang Roulan stood behind her, one hand on Yifei’s shoulder. She appeared to be whispering sothing in Yifei’s ear.

The mont I stepped into the doorway, Roulan’s gaze shifted to , sharp and doubtful for a mont before it relaxed, widened, and I saw her shoulders drop. She didn’t speak, but her lips curled into a brilliant smile.

"John." Shen Yifei’s voice was soft, and the edge of anxiety lingered.

She hopped off the chair and darted through the room. Then leapt.

I spread my arms and caught her flying body, the softness and warmth of her body filling my senses as our lips pressed together. Her eyes filled with worry and delight as tears welled and dripped down her cheeks.

But the softness of her tongue inside my mouth was too addictive.

The wet sound of our kiss lingered as my hands sank into her buttocks, squeezing the cute blonde bombshell.

"Nnnph..."

The warmth of Yifei’s tongue wrapping around mine as her lips sucked on feltterrificg, but the others were staring so I pulled away with a slow, wet pop.

Saliva dripped from our lips, forming a bridge as her eyes glistened with light.

With a sigh, she complained again. "...I really worried about you."

"Hey," I said, trying to smile. "I’m still here. Bit uglier, maybe, but still breathing."

She scoffed, lips twitching into sothing like a smile.

Roulan didn’t let go of her. "You shouldn’t be walking around yet."

"I can’t sit still. Not when there’s this much to do."

I took a mont to look around, taking in the battered faces, the tension and the chaos that still lingered in the survivors. Even with the camp secured, the air felt heavy. Like all it would take was one bad move to unravel everything we’d fought for.

I stepped forward and put a hand on Roulan’s arm. "How are you holding up?"

She didn’t answer right away. Her hand squeezed Yifei’s shoulder once, then she looked up at . "We’re alive. That’s enough for now."

I nodded, throat tight.

Outside, the wind rattled the broken windows, carrying the sounds of survivors and distant, cautious hope.

We’d survived the night. But there was no ti for rest.

Not yet.

The others were gathered around the battered dining table, soup bowls in hand.

Most villagers were in another room, thankfully, there was soone who could take control and act like a leader for them.

I don’t think they will ever forget this massacre and the horrors... we would leave most of the weapons for them to protect themselves, but we asked for two of the jeeps and half the gas to use them.

At the table, our group all looked at happily.

I took a breath, steadying myself against the table’s edge. Tang Wei motioned for quiet, and soon everyone’s eyes were on . For a second, I felt naked, exposed in a way that fighting never made feel. I cleared my throat.

"We’re not staying here." My voice sounded stronger than I felt. "We can’t risk another Gu family raid. Or worse, soone trying to take revenge for what happened last night."

Zhou Xue set her bowl aside, looking up with tired, sharp eyes. "Where then?"

I glanced at Jiang Roulan. "West. Toward Roulan’s family’s land. She knows the area, and it’s defensible. If we can reach it, we’ll have a shot at building sothing safe. For all of us."

Liang i frowned. "How far is it?"

Roulan looked at , shocked.

Her eyes and mouth opened wide as if she never expected to say this... but I’d never forgotten the quest and thing she asked over a week ago.

When she recovered, her answer ca.

"Because of the change in the world, it probably won’t take a few hours like the past... but if we take it slow maybe it won’t take longer than a day or two?"

Mu Qinglan yawned, stretching as she leaned against my side. "And what if another gang or horde tries to stop us?"

"Then we deal with it." Tang Wei’s tone was iron, her words cutting through the doubt. "We have weapons now. Not to ntion we understand the world better... and each other."

I looked around the room, trying to gauge their faces, so still hollowed by hunger and fear, others flickering with new resolve.

"We’ll leave at first light. Tonight, everyone gets rest, food, and a chance to breathe."

I ran fingers through my hair while glancing at Yifei, who remained quiet. I hoped she could recover, but because she revealed her feelings. I wouldn’t ignore her or the others anymore.

"If you need anything or want to take anything, ask for it now. Because we probably won’t be coming back."

Though I wanted to recruit more people, they were adamant about staying here, in this area, because they grew up here.

Roulan ca to stand beside , chin raised. "You heard him. Get what you need, then get so sleep. Tomorrow, we walk."

No one argued.

I felt her hand slip into mine, just for a mont, steady, warm, grounding before she let go. Around us, the survivors began to move, and I knew we weren’t out of danger.

But... that’s just how the world works.