Apocalypse King: Recruiting S-Tier Beauties With My Ruler System Chapter 260: Before the First Scream

Night fell like a slow, heavy blanket.

The compound lights brightened outside, while dimming to avoid disturbing those getting last-minute rest. Only the glow of oil lanterns hanging on the walls guides people along the dark streets.

For those that remained awake, only the sll of oil and guntal in the air, alongside the faint smoke from the inner block where the last als bubbled in the massive vats for when the fighting began.

I leaned against the railing of the tower and observed the ruined city.

It looked like those charity adverts with broken buildings, damaged cars and hungry orphans in the streets. No movent yet, but there was no comfort because the faint rumbling and quakes of the ground reminded everyone of the situation.

"This is going to be a long day..."

Behind , a door opened with a quiet click.

Tang Wei stepped onto the rooftop, boots tapping the steel and concrete.

She didn’t speak at first, just walked to my side and leaned against the barrier as she followed my gaze. Her combat suit with a purple trim clung to her hips with a squeak, and a shotgun dangled beside her.

The silence was comfortable.

"You didn’t co back to the room," she said eventually while looking up at .

"I didn’t want to wake them."

She humd with a smile. "Heh~ is it just that?"

Tang Wei’s dark eyes narrowed like a cat that found sothing interesting. She bumped with her hips and shifted closer. "You think too much, John. Tell what’s wrong." Her voice started harsh, but soon softened, "You know you can talk to right?"

"Well..." My relationship with Tang Wei beca strange after we slept together. Not quite lovers, but no longer just friends or comrades. "Right now I’m thinking about you."

I don’t know why I said it. Maybe I wanted to see her reaction. Perhaps I just needed to say sothing that didn’t sound like a war plan.

Tang Wei blinked once, then leaned back on the railing beside , arms crossed.

"Mm. You’ve got good taste."

She didn’t press the mont. That was her way—never clingy, never demanding. But her body language shifted slightly. A little closer and more at ease.

"Look," she said quietly, "I don’t need promises or definitions. I just want to know I wasn’t holding so value in that busy mind of yours. Or if possible..."

Her fingertip poked my chest as she showed a sly grin. "A place in here."

"Do you think I could forget you?"

Impossible.

I couldn’t forget Tang Wei from the mont I saw her.

She glanced up at again, then nodded, like that was all she needed to hear.

We stood together in silence as the wind picked up. Far off, a low groan echoed through the ruins—distant but rising, like sothing waking up underground.

Tang Wei unhooked her shotgun and checked the chamber. Click. Loaded. Her eyes stayed fixed on the darkness.

"I’ll be with you here, from the start until the end." She murmured. "Don’t die, or disappear on , John."

"Sa to you."

Tang Wei stayed beside , leaning into the breeze.

There was sothing in her posture that didn’t match her usual sharpness. I couldn’t tell if she was tense or if the issue was sothing else. A quiet weariness that had nothing to do with combat drills or shotgun recoil.

"Back when we t..." she started, not looking at , "I didn’t think I’d be standing on a rooftop with you before facing a world ending horde. Let alone after everything else."

I paused, holding my first answer...

"Guess that’s why it feels weird."

Her voice was steady, but her tone dipped lower, more honest.

"We shared sothing... physical. But now there’s a line. An invisible one. And I keep wondering if I should cross it, or if I’m already on the wrong side."

The mories of what happened between us, fighting together, and almost dying. Tang Wei had doubts and slowly ca to trust . Our mont of passion and the strange attraction I felt towards her from the mont we t.

Her hand slipped over mine as she spoke, a warmth spread from her suit, this was Tang Wei’s heat, her presence.

"You’re not. I think I like you being on this side."

I wrapped her hand with mine, then pulled her closer. The cool breeze wouldn’t make her cold, but still... I wanted to keep her close.

She chuckled softly. "That’s one way to put it."

The hand wrapped in mine gripped tightly.

Tang Wei turned and leaned her back against the railing this ti, facing fully. Our hands remained connected, while her focus remained on . She didn’t put up any walls, just shifting ever so slightly into my space, one step at a ti.

"I really enjoyed it." She said. "I hope we can do sothing like that again, this ti... in a proper manner. Not just so spur of the mont thing."

I looked her in the eye. "So, It wasn’t just sex?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "Of course, because I am hopeless at pretending when I have feelings for soone."

" too," I said. "But everything’s happening so fast. You, Yifei, Qinglan, Roulan, Siwan... Liang i. The battles and now this horde. I’ve been trying to keep everyone safe, alive and hold them together... while falling apart myself."

"I know," she said. "You don’t need to explain. I didn’t co up here to ask you to choose ."

"Then why did you co up?"

She smiled faintly. "Because I didn’t want to go into tomorrow without clearing the air."

There was a pause between us.

"But I also don’t expect a normal romance..." She gave a lovely smile. "If it was before the world ended I might have cut your cock off with scissors." Then Tang Wei glanced back toward the ruined city. "However, this world is different and... I cannot hope to have you to myself."

"Tang Wei..."

"Don’t try to comfort , I am not like Yifei or Roulan. As long as you give respect, affection and a good fuck when I need it. Well... Maybe I’ll let you off with that for now."

She scrunched her face up and peeked back at the base. "It’s strange... I used to think I’d die alone. Probably behind so barricade. Bleeding out with a jamd rifle. Or maybe unable to find insulin and taking my own life..."

"And now?"

She tilted her head slightly toward . "Now I think I’ll probably die beside you. Which is less lonely."

"I’m not planning to let any of you die."

"Then what about you? Who will protect you from harm, John?" She gave a dry laugh. "But you’re always the one charging forward first."

I finally reached out, brushing her fingers with mine. She didn’t flinch. Instead, her hand slid into mine without a word.

Our fingers slipped together, squeezing tight.

She didn’t speak, or ask... our lips just t... a simple touch, but it spoke countless words as our tongues slipped around each other.

Neither of us moved the mont we kissed.

Tang Wei’s breath lingered against my skin and in my mouth, warm and sweet. Her eyes no longer avoided mine, flustered. She seed to be grounded, as if our conversation and kiss managed to help her co to so sort of decision.

"We should get so rest," she whispered, but made no move to leave.

I smiled faintly. "That your way of saying you want to sleep beside ?"

"No," she said, tugging my hand gently with a wink. "It’s my way of saying I don’t want to sleep alone tonight."

"..."

We didn’t head back to the barracks or private room. Just down to the lower tower room. Quiet, tucked away and empty.

Tang Wei removed her jacket, bodysuit and boots with practised efficiency. I helped her with the straps around her arms, and she didn’t say anything when I pulled her into the makeshift cot by the wall.

At first, we didn’t move, just lay quietly holding each other.

The moonlight leaked through the window, shining on her beautiful brown skin.

She curled against , one arm slung across my chest, heartbeat racing. I stared into her face, my eyes adjusting to the glow of the lantern.

Every minute felt like an eternity, the sound of the distant horde constantly drumming on the ground as she watched quietly.

"John..."

Then ca the sound.

A deep, bone-rattling groan. Faint, distant and nothing natural...

Tang Wei stiffened, her hand gripping mine again.

"They’re moving," she said with eyes sharpening

I sat up slowly.

"They’ve started."

Outside, an alarm hadn’t sounded. No gunfire. But I could hear it now too—shifting weight, echoing footsteps, a low rhythm building beneath the earth like a tide of flesh grinding toward the wall.

The horde had begun its approach.

A sense of dread grew with each mont...

Tang Wei’s trembling hands slipped onto my chest as she mounted with an odd expression. "John, at least now..." Her teeth sank into her lips... a pretty sight, then when she spoke, my mind beca blank.

"...Make forget."