Apocalypse: Transmigrated with an Overlord System
Chapter 189: The Silent Battle Begins

Chapter 189: Chapter 189: The Silent Battle Begins

The sun had completely dipped behind the horizon, and the base was now lit by soft, artificial lights glowing from the small poles scattered around. The dinner bell had already rung, and the scent of roasted meat from the freshly hunted mutated beasts filled the air.

But inside the conference hall, the real tension was only beginning.

Atlas sat lazily at the head of the long table, swirling his cup of tea with great leisure. His posture was relaxed, yet his presence was impossible to ignore.

On his left sat Xu Kai. Upright and silent. His black uniform spotless. His back perfectly straight as always. His sharp gaze never wandering.

And directly across from both men sat Liora. She regretted stepping foot into this meeting.

This was supposed to be a simple strategy meeting to discuss expanding the base. But with these two men sitting at the same table, it had turned into something entirely different.

Chen Wei, Shen Haoran, Yun Shou, and Zhao Ren sat quietly nearby, looking between the two powerful men like they were watching two wild beasts waiting to pounce. Mei and Liang Zihan served refreshments nervously, fully aware of the undercurrent swirling inside the room.

"Commander Xu," Atlas spoke first, his voice light like a breeze, "your recent hunt was quite impressive. Ten high-level mutated beasts. I must say, you’re quite efficient."

Xu Kai responded with a nod, his tone calm and polite but lacking warmth. "It’s my duty to secure the base’s food supplies. That is the responsibility of the hunting team."

"Such devotion," Atlas smiled. "Liora truly surrounds herself with excellent people." His eyes casually drifted toward Liora, his voice dripping with amusement. "And here I thought I was the only one she relied on so deeply."

Liora’s eye twitched.

Xu Kai’s gaze sharpened slightly, but his face remained composed. "She does not rely on anyone. She carries the base on her own strength."

His voice was calm, but there was no mistaking the hidden weight behind his words.

Atlas chuckled. "Of course, of course. But isn’t it better when one has trustworthy people to share the burden? I, for one, am always happy to support her."

His words sounded gentle, but Liora could hear the challenge hidden beneath.

Xu Kai’s eyes finally turned directly toward Atlas, meeting his playful gaze with cold sharpness.

"The apocalypse is not a place for games, Lord Atlas. Protection requires action, not simply... sitting in the shadows."

Atlas’s grin grew wider, unfazed by the jab. "I don’t mind sitting, Commander Xu. After all, I have you standing on the frontlines for me."

The room grew quiet. The invisible storm between the two grew heavier.

Zhao Ren cleared his throat softly, attempting to break the awkward silence. "Commander Xu, Lord Atlas, perhaps we should begin discussing the defense upgrades—"

But Xu Kai’s voice calmly cut through. "Of course. I believe strengthening the west wall is our priority. Our scout team has only pitiful members that are not enough to patrol around the walls."

Atlas casually leaned back. "Hmm... that sounds urgent. But do you think anyone can do this role? What we want is not only number but also strength."

Liora wanted to slam her head into the table. She could feel the sparks flying between them. Neither man raised their voice. Neither man looked aggressive. But the battlefield between their words was clear as day.

Both were testing each other.

Both were claiming their position.

And she fucking wanted to kick both of them out so she could peacefully decide.

Xu Kai’s gaze briefly moved toward Liora, his voice softer but deliberate. "Leadership comes from trust and responsibility."

Atlas’s voice remained light, his smile fox-like. "And from vision and... connection." His eyes landed on Liora again, this time holding her gaze just a heartbeat longer.

Liora gritted her teeth. She could feel her cheeks warming from shame slightly under Atlas’s blatant stare.

Liang Zihan whispered quietly behind her, unable to hold back his excitement, "Ah... why does it feel like the Lord and Commander are both trying to—"

Mei quickly nudged him before he could finish, giving him a warning glance.

Even others had started to sense the strange tension floating between their Lord, the Commander, and their leader.

Finally, after what felt like hours of silent battle, Liora slammed her palm loudly on the table.

"That’s enough." Her voice was calm but carried finality. "We’re not here to play word games. The patrolling team will be strengthened as Commander Xu said. Shen Haoran and Zhao Ren will handle the recruiting. I want results within a week."

Both men fell silent.

Xu Kai nodded respectfully. "Understood."

Atlas smiled again, raising his teacup in surrender. "As you command, dear Liora."

But the smug amusement never left his eyes.

As the meeting finally adjourned, Xu Kai stood up first, nodding politely to Liora. "If you need anything, you know where to find me." His tone was steady, but there was something protective underneath it.

Atlas remained seated, watching Xu Kai leave with mild amusement, then looked back at Liora. "Such a loyal man you have."

Liora rolled her eyes. "And such a shameless lord I have."

After a particularly long day, Liora finally found herself alone in her room. The silence was oddly comforting after sitting through that exhausting meeting. She let out a long breath and leaned back, staring at the ceiling. But even in the quiet, her mind refused to settle.

Why had Atlas suddenly come here? He never moved without a reason. She knew him too well for that. The last time they had separated, she had felt empty and frustrated, but now, seeing him again only brought back that same old headache. The man was truly annoying to the bone. No matter how many times she tried to stay calm around him, he always found a way to crawl under her skin.

And then another thought crept in. She had not seen Eli the entire day. Normally, he would come running to her or at least send word. Atlas had arrived, yet Eli did not even come to meet him. Why? Did something happen? Or was he avoiding them both? The questions swirled inside her head like a storm.

With a tired sigh, Liora finally closed her eyes. She decided not to visit the Misty Forest today. Strangely, Eli did not come to ask her either.

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