Apocalypse King: Recruiting S-Tier Beauties With My Ruler System Chapter 44: Clarity after a Long and Needed Sleep

The darkness faded, thanks to the mid-afternoon sunlight peeking through the reinforced glass, waking from my nightmare. An image from the past—suffering my father's cold, disappointed gaze.

A tingling feeling of pins and needles spread through my limbs as I opened my eyes, noticing a familiar aroma and weight leaning against .

Mu Qinglan's head rested on my shoulder, likely the source of the dull pain in my left arm. Her face was only a few inches from mine, breathing softly. Nothing like her zombie or business self. Just a cute and pretty woman who taught a lot over the years.

'She's almost perfect when sleeping.'

I shifted my hips, letting her slowly fall, placing her on the huge sofa—big enough for five or six people. Then stepped away toward the massive window, and watching the city from here made realise—'It's really over...'

The system remained minimised, with no issues or notifications.

The clock in the corner flicked to 5:00 PM.

"I think I am ready now."

My hand touched the cold glass.

"What's the matter, Roulan?"

Her pensive face reflected in the thick glass as she bit her lip.

"Are you feeling better now, John?"

Well, after my previous actions, I couldn't bla her.

Turning to face her, I didn't avoid her or act childish like before. My eyes locked onto hers, and she returned the gaze. In my dreams, I constantly ran away—avoiding responsibility and blaming everything on others.

Scared of accountability, I avoided applying myself throughout life.

I shifted my gaze to Mu Qinglan—at least until she acknowledged , even without qualifications.

Returning to Roulan's face, I noticed her gaze followed mine. Her lips twisted before she crossed both arms beneath her chest.

"I'm much better, thanks to you."

Neither a genius nor a fool. And though no superhero, I was never a coward. So, I should face reality. Head on.

"Roulan..." After clearing my throat, I called out to her. My voice sounded low and heavy compared to usual... or was this how I sounded now?

"Hmm?"

She tilted her head while huffing through her nose. The feeling of being examined and observed was unnerving—like the managers who ignored my advice on my last project.

Yet this ti, instead of retreating, I stepped forward, offering my hand.

"Follow ."

Jiang Roulan looked at for a mont, her eyes widening as she seed to understand what I ant. From our conversation earlier in the day, I treated it as a joke—unable to face her with respect and as a man.

"I promise you will survive, eat well, and have a safe place to sleep at night.

As for your goal, as long as you take my hand, I will help you fulfil it."

Her eyes widened—not like before, when she treated like a child and showed how naïve I was acting.

"Can you do it?"

There were many things I lacked, whether it was the ability to judge right and wrong, create rules and laws or manage a base.

Before long, my limit will co.

Mu Qinglan, Jiang Roulan and even Shen Yifei held skills that would benefit , providing with a chance to focus on the system, growing stronger and surviving.

Thanks to Jiang Roulan giving the final push, sohow, I could face reality and stop letting myself escape from my own emotions and thoughts. I could have saved Old Lei and reford Wang Yun... My system existed for that purpose.

It wasn't a lack of strength that held back. Nor a lack of talent either.

I had all the pieces—but no will to use them.

Not until I stopped clinging to the mory of who my father was and started living for the person I could be.

I always admired my dad secretly.

Watching his company's stocks soar, becoming a technological billionaire, supporting his country and rooting out corruption.

The mories stirred a flicker of warmth in my chest—half pride, half pain.

'But that admiration...

it was holding back.'

For too long, I chased that towering image. The untouchable, flawless icon. A man who shaped the world with influence and intellect. But this brutal, chaotic world of blood, collapse and zombies...

'He might be a tycoon... a leading figure in the old world...

But now... wasn't it ti for to take control?

To Lead?'

My gaze returned to Jiang Roulan, no longer wavering, and I stared into her steady eyes.

"Of course I can."

She stepped forward with a precise and elegant gain—her stride well-asured like a professional. Disciplined like a soldier trained to march into hell.

Jiang Roulan stopped a foot away from .

She lifted her head to face to match my gaze fully—only then did I notice the difference between our figures. Up close, it beca painfully clear that I could have knocked her down with a slap. There was no reason to fear her or run away from her earlier.

I just needed to face her—like this.

"How do you want ?" she asked. Her voice was deep and firm—like a cadet speaking to her superior, her hands neatly by her side, watching calmly. "As an officer? An ally? A follower? A woman? A lover?"

With each question, her voice changed, the tone and pitch causing my mind to beco white, but I didn't avert my gaze and focused. I watched her eyes, the way she moved her lips and eyes and without the system's prompts guiding .

I chose my answer, reading her expression that guarded pride that lingered beneath the surface and her waning hopes.

Maybe influenced by the handso and charming protagonists in female lead novels, my body acted before I thought. I reached out, brushing her chin with my fingers, lifting it between my thumb and forefinger.

Her breathing beca faster.

The beat of her heart pounded in my ears.

However, I had no desire to dominate her will, no interest in pretending disinterest.

She awakened , comforted , and reminded that I'd been turning away from reality.

My life wasn't a novel or a ga.

I couldn't just make a joke, laugh it off or run away.

The current world was my reality.

"I want Everything."

Our faces ca close, the woman who teased like a little boy, now gazing up at with pink cheeks, her nose blowing against my face as she breathed heavily.

This approach was enough for now. Jiang Roulan will understand how serious I am.

Without another word, I stepped back and turned away. The slight gasp from Roulan's lips echoed in my ears as I found myself smiling. This was my current limit, though I wanted to look cool—any further would reveal my gaps.

"Yin. We're going."

I needed to cool my head.

There were many things to do right now—flirting wasn't part of them. To et the twenty people below and assess their usefulness. I needed to visit my old apartnt to dismantle everything and bid farewell to the John who once believed he could remain a re office worker in this collapsing world.

I couldn't remain like that anymore.

Like dad once did in his realm—

I would walk my path,

Not as a son.

Not as a survivor.

As the leader.

The dream was simple:

Stand at the top of the food chain.

Master of the apocalypse.

No longer an embarrassnt.

No longer a shadow.

But the Apocalypse King