Apocalypse: Transmigrated with an Overlord System
Chapter 123: Shutting Down the System

Chapter 123: Chapter 123: Shutting Down the System

The world around Liora twisted the moment the white light swallowed them.

She felt her stomach lurch, her ears ringing as if she were falling through water or space itself had unraveled and stitched itself back together without warning. Her head spun and her eyes clenched shut from the blinding flash. Her feet had no ground to stand on, only weightless air and the dizzying sense of movement.

Then followed by sudden stillness. The air grew cold and her boots touched earth again.

When Liora opened her eyes, she froze.

The sterile white walls of the hospital were gone. In their place loomed towering trees with thick, gnarled trunks. Their leaves formed a suffocating canopy above, so dense that no sunlight could seep through.

Everything was dim. The ground was covered in thick fog, so dense it coiled around her ankles and muffled the earth beneath her feet.

Liora’s breath caught in her throat.

She took one step forward, then another, slowly turning in place as her surroundings came into focus. Every shadow felt like it was watching. Every tree leaned inward, as if listening. Her fingers itched and her hand went to her sword on instinct. Why did the forest look like it was alive and ready to swallow her any time?

"What the hell..." she whispered. Then suddenly realization dawned on her that she had been transported.

"Teleportation..." she murmured, her voice tight. "Is this the real teleportation... He... really dragged us all here in just a blink of eyes?"

Her heart dropped as another question popped in her mind. Why? Why bring her and Eli?

Her thoughts scattered in every direction, searching for answers, trying to keep fear from slipping into her chest.

Suddenly a deep memory of her mother came to her mind and her soft words about to never trust a stranger and even more so, never trust a handsome jerk. You’re bound to get kidnapped.

Liora gritted her teeth. "And now look where I am."

But there was no time for self-blame.

She spun on her heel, her mana sword already drawn. In one clean motion, she pointed it dangerously close to the neck of the white-haired man who stood just a few feet behind her, relaxed as if they were on a nature walk.

"Why did you bring us here?" she asked with her ice-cold tone.

But Atlas didn’t even flinch.

His cold blue eyes twinkled faintly in the darkness. "Nice reflexes."

"Answer me."

"I thought you wanted a challenge."

Her sword didn’t move. Her eyes didn’t waver.

This man—he was hiding something. Every cell in her body screamed it. But she needed more than instinct. She needed facts.

She inhaled deeply and reached inward.

System... Run scan. I want full details. Where are we? Who is this man? And what are his abilities?

The familiar mechanical chime echoed in her mind, instantly responding to her.

[Scanning environment...]

Liora waited, watching Atlas closely. She didn’t trust that smirk, not this man at all.

[Location identified: Misty Forest — Northern Outlands.

Danger Level: Extremely High.

Status: Restricted zone — access prohibited before apocalypse.

Known Data: Pre-apocalypse reports cite aggressive wildlife, mutated ecosystems. Even government and military researchers abandoned the area. Most paths in are blocked by hazardous terrain or hidden death traps. Survival rate is near-zero.]

Her stomach clenched.

The Misty Forest. Before the apocalypse, it was a place people dared each other to approach. But those who went in either never returned or came out barely human. It was a cursed place. Forgotten and sealed off for good reason.

And now she was standing in it.

"Why here?" she whispered under her breath. "Why bring us here of all places?"

Her system continued pouring in data, her head already spinning.

Warning: Due to extreme environment and unknown mutant activity, all defensive protocols should be engaged. Proceed with maximum caution.

She gritted her teeth and asked the system to find information about him... she wanted to find out about his ability and capabilities... it was always better to be prepared beforehand.

[Scanning target: Individual – Atlas]

Processing...

Liora narrowed her eyes. Yes. Give me something. Anything. I need to know who he is...Then..

A voice broke through her thoughts.

"Time’s up," Atlas said, grinning.

Her head snapped toward him. "What?"

Before she could move, she heard the usual mechanical voice of the system, but what shocked her was its message.

SYSTEM SHUTTING DOWN.

ERROR. ERROR. ACCESS DENIED.

The familiar voice of the system vanished, followed by only silence.

She gasped and staggered back a step, the loss of connection like a limb being cut off.

"What—what did you do?!" she shouted, trembling with rage. She knew it must be him because of his warning, or how could she explain the system suddenly shutting down after he says time’s up?

Atlas raised an eyebrow, amused. "No more cheating, Princess."

Liora stood frozen.

She couldn’t speak. She couldn’t even think. All she could do was stare at the man in front of her, a million thoughts screaming at once. He knew about her system. He heard her talking with the system. And he did something to her system.

And worse—he shut it down.

He shut it down.

Liora’s knees nearly buckled.

She remembered. That man from the supermarket. The one who forced the system into hiding, who triggered alarms and red flags with his very presence.

Was Atlas the same?

No... if he was the threat, the system would have warned her... but if he is not a threat, then why did he do that?

"You... what do you know... how do you do it?" Liora snapped at his face, but all she got was a smug smile from the man.

He tilted his head slightly, lips curling upward in that infuriatingly calm way. His eyes didn’t blink, as if her outburst had been nothing more than a passing breeze.

"What? I did nothing."

"You perfectly knew what you did! Don’t play dead with me... or I swear—"

Her voice trembled slightly, not out of fear, but from the deep frustration boiling inside her. Her fists were clenched at her sides, nails digging into her palms as she glared at him.

"What are you going to do?" he cut in coldly. "When you can’t even protect yourself? You’re so weak, Liora... people like you are easily crushed in this unapologetic and cruel world."

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