Apocalypse: Transmigrated with an Overlord System
Chapter 187: The Strange Morning

Chapter 187: Chapter 187: The Strange Morning

The warm rays of sunlight slipped quietly through the small gaps of the curtain, lazily crawling onto the bed where Liora lay fast asleep.

It was already late.

The clock on the wall ticked towards noon, but Liora was still buried deep under her blanket, her breathing calm and steady. She had returned very late from Misty Forest again. The nightly hunts with Eli had become routine, but every time she thought it would be a short trip, they always ended up staying longer.

The deeper they explored, the more resources they found. And like always, Eli’s stubborn curiosity pulled them further and further inside.

By the time they had teleported back to the base last night, the moon was already high, and her body was exhausted. She barely managed to carry Eli to bed before collapsing herself.

Now, the soft knock on the door finally woke her up.

Knock knock.

"Liora... Are you awake?" Mei’s soft voice called from outside.

Liora let out a small groan, rubbing her eyes as she slowly sat up. Her long hair was messy, falling over her face as she blinked several times to adjust to the bright light.

"What time is it..." she mumbled under her breath.

"It’s almost noon," Mei answered with a slightly worried tone. "I was just checking if you’re okay. You didn’t show up for breakfast."

"I overslept..." Liora said, her voice hoarse from sleep.

Mei chuckled lightly from outside. "It’s alright. You should hurriedly go to the canteen." She left with the sentence, and Liora did not think much.

She yawned, stretched her arms above her head, and finally forced herself out of bed. After a quick wash, she changed into simple, comfortable clothes and tied her messy hair into a loose ponytail. Her stomach growled as she stepped out of her room, making her realize just how hungry she actually was.

The base was surprisingly lively today. Normally at this hour, many people would be out working, but today, there seemed to be more people gathered near the canteen. Whispering, laughing, chatting. The air felt slightly different.

She frowned slightly, sensing that something was odd. She could feel a strange atmosphere as she made her way towards the canteen.

As she got closer, the sound of laughter echoed from inside the canteen, louder than usual.

When she finally pushed open the door, what she saw made her pause completely.

There he was.

Sitting right in the middle of the canteen like it was his private dining hall, Atlas was leisurely enjoying a meal.

A small group of residents had gathered around him, watching him with admiration as if he was some kind of king. Some even brought him extra dishes, carefully placing plates in front of him while smiling politely.

Atlas, with his usual casual grin, sat there like he owned the place, his legs crossed, eating fried buns and sipping soup as if it was the finest cuisine.

Liora blinked, unable to process the scene for a moment.

’What the hell is going on?’

"Oh! Look who finally woke up!" Atlas spotted her immediately and waved, his voice filled with teasing. "Miss Liora has graced us with her presence."

Some of the people chuckled awkwardly, looking between Liora and Atlas. It was obvious many of them didn’t know the full truth about Atlas, but somehow, he had already earned their trust in just a few hours.

Liora took a deep breath and forced a smile as she walked toward him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked calmly, though her voice carried a sharp undertone.

Atlas placed his chopsticks down, looking at her with amusement. "Why wouldn’t I be here? After all, this base is under my protection, right? I simply decided to visit the place I’ve been secretly watching over."

His words were said half-jokingly, but several survivors around them nodded as if it made perfect sense.

Liora’s eye twitched slightly.

’Under his protection? Since when?!’

She wanted to say something but held herself back. She could feel the curious eyes watching them. There was no point in starting a public argument right now.

Instead, she sat down at a nearby table and quietly began to eat her own meal. But Atlas, of course, would not leave her alone.

He stood up with his bowl, walked over, and casually sat across from her.

"You should really thank me, you know," he continued with a playful grin. "Your people admire you a lot, but sometimes they need to see a real strong figure behind the scenes. It gives them... comfort."

Liora’s lips pressed into a thin line.

"You seem quite comfortable taking credit for my work," she replied coldly.

Atlas only shrugged with a devil-may-care attitude. "Oh, don’t be like that. We’re all part of the same big happy family now, aren’t we?"

Before she could respond, one of the assistants suddenly rushed over to their table with a bright smile. The young girl practically beamed with excitement.

"Lord Atlas! Do you need anything? The chefs have prepared some special dishes for you today. If you wish, I can personally bring them to your table!"

Atlas waved his hand gracefully. "No need. You are all working hard. I am quite satisfied with your efforts."

The assistant bowed slightly, clearly thrilled by his words, then hurried off to inform the chefs.

Liora stared at the scene, her spoon frozen mid-air. She slowly shifted her gaze to Atlas, narrowing her eyes.

As if sensing her glare, Atlas turned toward her with a charming smile and casually rested his chin on his hand.

"Well, well, Liora. You certainly set up quite a stage for me," he said, his voice light and filled with amusement. "A mighty lord of the base? How generous of you."

Liora gave him a blank look and slowly rolled her eyes. She grabbed her cup and sipped without saying a word, but her frustration was written all over her face.

At that moment, Liang Zihan and Yan Lin approached their table with bright smiles, carrying a fresh plate of steamed dumplings.

"Lord Atlas, please enjoy. These were specially made for you today," Liang Zihan said sweetly.

Yan Lin nodded eagerly. "We’re so grateful for your protection, Lord Atlas."

Liora nearly choked on her tea.

Atlas, of course, accepted the plate with a gracious nod. "Ah, how thoughtful. You have all been doing so well under my leadership."

He stole a quick glance at Liora, who was now quietly stabbing her food with her chopsticks like it had personally offended her.

Mei also walked after some minutes and came over with a small box of herbs. "Lord Atlas, these are rare herbs that arrived today. Please feel free to use them if you need."

Atlas smiled even wider. "Excellent. I shall keep them in my collection. Thank you, Mei."

Liora let out a long breath, her shoulders dropping in defeat. ’Are they all blind? Do they even remember who actually protected them?’ But now she only had herself to blame.

Atlas leaned a bit closer, lowering his voice so only she could hear. His eyes sparkled with mischief. "See? You made me their king, and now they worship me. I should visit more often, don’t you think?"

Liora rolled her eyes again, whispering back, "You’re enjoying this way too much."

Atlas chuckled under his breath. "Of course I am. You gave me the throne. What kind of man would I be if I didn’t sit on it comfortably?"

At that moment, another resident passed by and called out, "Thank you again, Lord Atlas, for creating this safe haven for all of us!"

Atlas waved once more like a benevolent ruler. "Your gratitude warms my heart."

Liora’s eye twitched.

The teasing was endless. He was clearly having the time of his life watching her try not to explode.

As Atlas leisurely enjoyed his meal like royalty, Liora sat stiffly at the table, silently cursing herself for ever dragging his name into this in the first place.

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