Apocalypse King: Recruiting S-Tier Beauties With My Ruler System
Chapter 104: Awakening & Determination

Chapter 104: Awakening & Determination

John Wang’s POV

March 18, 20xx — 07:28 AM

Longwan University — Archery Club Room (2f)

——

My back hurt like hell...

Not the sharp, stabbing pain of a blade or claw. Just pressure and tension. Like I’d spent hours lifting something too heavy, then tried to do a marathon. But despite the weight dropping, my muscles hadn’t figured it out yet.

My eyes opened slowly, revealing an unfamiliar ceiling.

Wooden beams with cracked ceiling tiles. Soft red light leaking through the blinds — dawn, or just after. The light buzzed faintly. Too dim to be natural, too steady to be from the emergency lighting.

I tilted my head.

"Ngh..."

It took all my effort...

Because someone’s thighs were wrapped around my head!

The first thing I noticed was the heat, not pain, but the warmth flowing through me. Not just the soft, squishy thighs pressing against my cheeks and ears. My whole body throbbed with it. Dull. Deep. Like I’d been dunked into hot water and left there for too long.

My limbs didn’t move right at first, and my breath was laboured and sounded annoying.

I blinked again.

A girl was sleeping beside me.

Not Mu Qinglan.

Shen Yifei.

She sat slouched with her arms folded on her knees, head dipped forward like she’d fallen asleep mid-watch. A wet cloth dangled from her hand, the edges dry now. Her hair hung in loose strands, cheeks faintly flushed, breath shallow. Not hurt. Just worn down.

I tried to speak.

Nothing came out.

I shifted.

Her eyes opened in an instant.

Like she never actually slept.

"You’re awake," she whispered, voice low and tight.

I nodded — barely.

Then I saw the rest.

My chest was half-wrapped in bandages. Damp cloths rested in a metal bowl nearby. A water bottle sat next to a cloth pile soaked red. The scent of soap and fabric lingered faintly. And the faint, almost perfume-like trace of Mu Qinglan.

No... it was both of their scents, mixed, lingering on my body.

Yifei had probably washed me...

Every inch going off the wiped-down blood and sweat on my body.

My wounds were closed, not gone, but better than they should’ve been.

A blue box hovered, telling me my current state.

[Curren Qi Recovery: 70%]

[Current Core Progress: Titan Marrow: 17% (Steel Frame)]

Right.

I was alive.

Yifei’s eyes stayed on mine.

She looked like she had something to say — maybe a lot. But she hadn’t spoken yet.

Mu Qinglan’s thighs tensed, her hand stroking my hair, brushing it back to reveal my forehead, tapping me gentle like some kind of ASMR.

"...How long?" I asked.

"About two hours, not enough."

I nodded to Yifei again and closed my eyes, able to feel her lingering gaze.

"Are you sure everything is alright, John?" Mu Qinglan asked, her thighs tightening just enough to keep my gaze tilted upward — not forceful, but deliberate.

I could feel her heartbeat against my temple. Slow. Heavy.

I gave a low grunt, trying to shift.

My neck was stiff. Not broken, thankfully, but it refused to cooperate. The effort made my breath catch.

"Don’t," she said gently, stroking my hair back again. "You overdid it."

I wanted to argue.

But I couldn’t even sit up, so I closed my eyes for a second instead.

"You were glowing again," Shen Yifei said, voice quieter. Her tone wasn’t like usual and sounded a little cautious, yet curious at the same time.

"That blue mark... it pulsed like a light earlier. What is it?" she asked.

"I’ll explain later," I muttered, voice still rough. "Once my throat works."

"You always say that," Yifei muttered. "And then never do."

Mu Qinglan gave a quiet hum, almost a purr, and shifted slightly, easing some of her weight off my shoulders. I caught a glimpse of her from the edge of my vision — her combat jacket hung open at the collar, and her cheeks were flushed faintly from sleep or something else.

She looked down at me, unreadable.

"You’re healing faster," she said.

I nodded. "I’m sturdy."

——Tap——

"I know..." Qinglan’s face was red as she slapped my forehead, a gentle slap but a sign of her protesting my words. "I can still feel..." Her lovely face turned red as she trailed off mid-sentence.

Silence followed — but not heavy, just a moment of calm.

Shen Yifei stood a moment later, brushing off her thighs. Her legs wobbled slightly from the long crouch, but she masked it well. "I’ll go check the corridor. Deng Hua said he heard something on the eastern stairwell."

Mu Qinglan didn’t stop her. Just let her go.

She waited until the door clicked shut, then leaned down a little closer.

"You know," she said softly, brushing a bit of lint from my chest, "she really does like you."

My throat tightened, but I didn’t answer.

"Are you going to pretend you don’t know?"

Still, I said nothing.

She leaned in — just enough that I could feel her breath again.

"Don’t break her heart."

I gazed up at the former ice queen... "What do you mean? You’re my girlfriend..."

"As if that’s going to stop you. I know you like her and it probably won’t stop with them either." Her hands massaged me, slowly... a little painful but also comforting. "As long as you never abandon me I won’t cause trouble."

"Idiot."

——Tap——

"Who is an idiot... stupid man!"

Then she shifted, rising to her feet. Her fingers trailed across my scalp once, lightly, before pulling back entirely. She adjusted her jacket, rolled her shoulders, and straightened her back.

"I’ll get food and water," she said. "Rest. We’re leaving soon."

She walked to the door and paused once more.

"You scared me this morning. I thought I’d lost you."

Then she left.

And I lay there, alone again, staring at the cracked ceiling with a faint chill on my forehead.

Even without words, I knew the conversation had only just begun.

—

Silence remained while I quietly watched the wooden beams.

My body became better, and I started to move myself.

The first thing I did was check my inventory.

I noticed the Stage Two zombie orbs... five brute cores, one speed core and finally the command core, which was likely a spirit type.

"Haa..."

’System, how much would these cores sell for, or should I just swallow them all?’

It wasn’t the time to be conservative, but aggressive and progressive.

[Core Sale Price]

-> Red Cores: Boost Strength and vitality [5000 ZKP]

-> Green Core: Boost Speed and Skill [4500 ZKP]

-> Blue Core: Boost Spirit and Intelligence [8000 ZKP]

-> Yellow Core: Boost Physique and Muscle [5000 ZKP]

[Do you want to sell all cores?]

[Yes/No]

The option flashed several times. It seemed that the bonus advice that helped me come this far had ended.

But there were other things I needed to consider now.

One or two strong people might be effective in smaller, quick battles... but in longer, bigger fights, it might be more intelligent to have a group of moderately strong humans and a group of elites above them for dangerous moments.

My plan for the elite team included myself, Qinglan, Roulan, Yifei, Tang Wei and Zhou Xue... after witnessing her archery, I was impressed.

"I should get them all a Type-9K... and sign them to automatic reloads."

"But..."

To get the base skills and accounting for everything, it would cost roughly 6000 points a person to get them ready to face Stage 2 zombies.

This included:

Cultivation Method

Type 9K

Elixirs of all types

A Basic outfit/armour.

SMG accuracy skill

Reloads being 30 ZKP each.

That’s not including the 6000 needed for Tang Wei and Zhou Xue’s Marrow Washing Potion.

Also, Liang Mei could become useful in the future.

A-Tier.

"So with six yellow cores... I could ensure all of us are fully equipped. Then there is the weaker forces."

I couldn’t decide how to train them, so I would prefer to help them grow stronger naturally, a cheap cultivation technique and a lower grade marrow washing potion.

After I closed the screen, my arms fell to my sides, the warmth of my skin returning with each pulse of Qi.

Outside, the light had sharpened. Morning proper.

Somewhere beyond this cracked window, a new horde was gathering — or worse, something worse than a horde.

But for the first time, I didn’t feel alone.

I had allies. Fighters. People who cared.

Maybe even...

I exhaled, long and slow, fingers curling slightly as the last ache faded from my shoulders.

Not yet.

Not today.

But soon, I’d start preparing them.

An elite team. A proper defence. Not just survival.

A future.

Because whatever monsters came next — blade-types, command-types, or something worse — they’d be the ones begging for mercy.

And I wasn’t going to give it.

"System," I muttered, narrowing my eyes. "Purchase the items in my list using the five Brute cores."

I was adamant... this wasn’t the time to second-guess myself. I was right!

"Let’s build a fucking army."