Apocalypse King: Recruiting S-Tier Beauties With My Ruler System-Chapter 157: A sense of Pride and Self worth.

March 20th, 7:45 PM — Longwan Mall, Service Wing

John Wang POV

——

Mu Qinglan lay limp in my arms, completely spent.

Her body was soft with heat, damp from the steam, and glowing faintly where the water had washed away the blood and sweat. Her towel clung to her loosely, breasts shifting with each breath, legs exposed down to her thighs. She didn’t stir. Didn’t say a word. Just let out a soft sigh against my chest and sank deeper into sleep.

I left the shower room with long, confident strides while still naked.

Because Roulan dragged me inside, and Qinglan needed a towel... I couldn’t help it.

No shame.

Not tonight.

My cock still hung heavy between my thighs, half-erect, marked by Qinglan’s body, her mouth, her hands. It lurched to the side with each step, thick, veiny, unapologetic.

The moment I stepped into the room, I felt the shift.

Silence.

Liang Mei reacted to me first, and to be honest, I knew this girl was a little pervert. Her eyes dropped before she even realised it. She froze, face flushing deep pink, lips parted slightly in pure instinct. She tried to glance away, but failed, her gaze catching again on the sway, the size, the quiet weight of it before she turned her whole face away.

Roulan didn’t look up.

But she didn’t need to.

She’d felt it earlier. Deep between her cheeks. Hot against her skin.

She stayed under her blanket, but I saw the way her body stilled.

Chen Xun mumbled something in his sleep, still out cold.

Tang Wei, seated near the entrance with her shotgun across her knees, gave me a long, unreadable look.

Her gaze dropped.

Stayed.

Her jaw shifted slightly.

The smallest intake of breath.

Stoic or not, she wasn’t immune.

I didn’t cover myself. Didn’t rush. I stood there for a moment—let them all see it, feel it, the presence that came with me now. Confidence wasn’t something I had to fake anymore.

Not after Yifei.

Not after Roulan.

Not after Qinglan fell asleep in my arms with her body soaked in sweat and cum.

I smiled.

Just a little.

Tang Wei looked away at last, much too fast and then let out a sharp, dry cough.

I walked past her with Qinglan still in my arms.

She didn’t say anything, but her cheeks told me more than words could.

I laid Qinglan down on her mat, tucking her in gently. She curled on her side, towel still barely clinging to her chest. Her breathing stayed calm. Deep.

I stood, stretched, still fully naked.

Then, casually, I pulled on my pants—left them hanging low on my hips, the waistband still damp from steam.

No shirt, because my body was still damp, and I hated the feeling of cloth clinging to my skin, and I had no reason to hide anything.

Then I turned toward the door and headed towards Tang Wei.

Her eyes avoided me as she pretended to clean and maintain her gun, but I couldn’t help but chuckle at her. Though from the corner of my eyes, I could see that Liang Mei was still watching me while hiding half her face with her quilt.

Tang Wei’s eyes followed me as I sat down beside her. Her nose flared as she huffed and gave me a small glance from the corner of her eye.

I slammed against the wall and crossed my arms, wanting to avoid causing trouble. I watched Tang Wei for a moment before slipping my hand into my backpack, searching for something cold or simple to eat.

"Comfortable?" she asked, voice low.

I shrugged. "As comfortable as we’re going to get in here."

She stared ahead for a while. Then: "You know... you really shouldn’t walk around like that."

"Like what?"

She turned her head, met my eyes with a flat look. "Like your dick has its own gravitational field."

I laughed. "Didn’t hear any complaints."

"No, just quiet internal screaming," she muttered.

My brows lifted, and I asked. "You alright?"

Tang Wei tapped the side of her shotgun. "I’ve seen plenty in the barracks, don’t flatter yourself."

"Uh huh."

"Just... never one that huge... like it could bludgeon someone to death. Qinglan must have hurt... or did it feel that amazing?"

I smirked and pretended to ignore the last part she whispered, and Tang Wei was someone who made me feel relaxed and neutral. Not taking my shit and helping me to adjust my mental state when needed.

She rubbed her face, muttering, "Forget I said that."

We sat in silence, eyes on the dark hallway outside the room. The dim glow from the wall-mounted emergency lamp flickered every so often. No sounds. No movement.

After a moment, she cleared her throat. "So. You planning to sleep at all?"

"Not yet. Thought I’d take first watch with you."

She nodded. "Appreciated."

I unzipped my pack, reached inside—except I didn’t pull anything out.

Instead, I opened the system window silently in my mind.

[Purchase: Heavy Ammo Case – 9mm / Buckshot][300 ZKP]

The case appeared behind my pack in the shadows. I pulled it forward, opened it, and began stacking magazines beside my leg, each one heavy, fresh.

Tang Wei blinked. "You packed that?"

"Let’s say I’ve got good connections... and we found a fallen outpost on the way back."

Because I still hadn’t told her about my secret in full, but I am sure someone smart like Tang Wei would notice quite quickly, especially the system modifying the base.

[System Note: The System mentally affects people who see your actions, and any changes made by the system are viewed as normal things by humans. Only those with a High Spirits will notice something wrong!]

’...’

This truth made me speechless.

Why didn’t the system tell me sooner...

[System Message: You didn’t ask me~]

I handed her two sealed packs of buckshot. She took them, brushing her thumb over the plastic with a grunt of approval.

"Thank you."

"Figure we’ll need it tomorrow."

She nodded, tone shifting. "We tracking those three?"

"Yes. I don’t like them. Those Ghouls could kill everyone if we’re not careful."

"I agree."

She loaded a round into the breach and leaned her head back. "And tonight?"

"We rest. Let people recover. Take turns. Make sure no one slips."

She glanced at the door to the main room, voice low. "And if they come again before morning?"

"Then we kill them," I said.

Simple.

Quiet.

And final.

The coffee smelled better than it had any right to.

Tang Wei poured two enamel mugs full and handed me one. Her movements were quiet, practised. She didn’t fumble or rush. Just scooped a finger of instant mix from the sealed ration, stirred it slow with the butt of a spoon, and passed it over without a word.

I took it, nodding.

The heat soaked into my palms instantly.

"Where’d you find this?"

"Emergency locker. Same place as the stove," she said. "It’s probably expired."

"Doesn’t matter."

We drank in silence for a while.

Inside the room, it had grown quieter. Someone was snoring—Deng Hua or Chen Xun, probably. The occasional rustle of a blanket. Nothing else.

Mu Qinglan hadn’t made a sound since I laid her down.

Roulan hadn’t moved.

Even Liang Mei was out, curled up near the vending machine, her face hidden beneath an arm.

The only light came from the soft blue glow of the system window in my peripherals and the orange dot of Tang Wei’s burner, flickering low beside her leg.

She finished half her mug before speaking.

"So..."

I looked at her.

She didn’t meet my eyes.

Still staring at the hallway.

"...are you dating all three of them?" she asked, then took another sip. "Or is it just sex?"

I didn’t answer right away.

She glanced at me, expression unreadable.

"That obvious?" I asked finally.

Tang Wei snorted. "Please. I’m not blind."

She let the silence hang a moment longer before continuing. "Yifei won’t stop staring at you. Mu Qinglan moans your name in her sleep. And Roulan came back with cum dripping down her thighs and acted like nothing happened."

I blinked.

"Okay, that last one wasn’t as obvious to everyone," she said, sipping again. "But I noticed."

"And you’re asking because..."

"Curious," she said. "Not judging."

That was a lie. There was something under her tone. Not bitterness. Not interest. Just... something unsaid.

I sipped from my mug.

"It’s not dating. Not really," I said.

"But it’s not just sex either."

"No?"

Her eyes flicked over me as her lips curled into a smile, drinking the last of the god awful coffee. She chuckled, almost snorting, before leaning against me with her muscular arms, the heat causing her caramel skin to drip with sweat.

"Well... I can tell you aren’t just using them, that’s alright... just don’t become a monster."

"Don’t worry, I only sleep with the willing."

Her eyes narrowed into slits, "Haha, good... well I am sure many women are after you."

"Maybe."

The flicker of her burner went out as she tapped my shoulder. "I’m going to get some sleep, wake me if something happens."

"Sure, sleep well."

"Heh..."

I watched Tang Wei remove her jacket... and shirt, revealing her soft, brown skin and tight black sports bra, but her breasts were quite...

"Stop staring at me, pervert."

"Ah, you caught me, my bad."

"Hmph."

With a huff, she turned away and peeked back over her shoulder before climbing into her sleeping bag.

What a provocative woman...