Apocalypse: Transmigrated with an Overlord System
Chapter 198: The Mask of Calm

Chapter 198: Chapter 198: The Mask of Calm

By the time the sun peeked over the horizon and the light spread softly across the sky, Liora had already woken up.

She had barely slept, but her eyes were calm.

Her back straightened, her hair was tied neatly, and her clothes...though simple. They were clean and composed. There was no sign of the storm inside her heart.

She looked into the mirror for one long second before leaving the room.

And when she did, she walked through the base like nothing had happened.

Her steps were steady.

Her face was calm.

The base, however, was not so composed.

People were already gathering around the canteen. The night before had been filled with fear, confusion, and whispers that refused to die down. Many had seen the rooftop explosion. Others had seen the figure surrounded by dark vines. And nearly everyone had noticed that Liora had vanished right after it.

So when she appeared at the edge of the canteen, all eyes turned toward her at once.

There were whispers around her and uneasy glances.

Some even stood up as if preparing for something serious.

But Liora raised one hand slightly, signaling them to settle down.

She walked forward, her steps slow but confident, until she reached the center of the open dining area. The sky behind her was clear blue with the same gloomy veil. The wind was cool. Everything looked peaceful on the surface.

She turned and faced them all.

"I know you have questions," she said, her voice clear and steady.

And she was right.

They all leaned in, waiting.

"Last night’s events were dangerous, but the matter has been handled," she continued. "The man who attacked the rooftop is not our enemy. He has no connection to this base."

The crowd stirred uneasily, but she held up her hand again.

"That man was Lord Atlas’s enemy," she said firmly. "It was a personal grudge. He will not return. You have nothing to fear."

The way she said it—so composed, so unwavering calmed many of them.

Some nodded. Others sighed in relief. A few even smiled quietly as if finally able to breathe again.

But not everyone looked convinced.

A tall man near the back of the crowd suddenly stepped forward.

He was wearing a brown tattered coat, his sleeves rolled up, and his expression was cold with suspicion.

"Are we really supposed to believe that?" he said, his voice raised slightly. "A man who nearly destroyed the rooftop with a single strike, someone who could bring vines to life like monsters—and you’re telling us he won’t come back?"

The crowd shifted again. Murmurs rose again in the crowd; they could not deny the truth in his words.

A few people looked between him and Liora with uncertain eyes.

Liora’s gaze landed on the man. Her expression didn’t change.

He didn’t stop there.

"Ever since I came here," he said, stepping closer, "I’ve heard about how perfect this base is. How strong. How safe. But last night, I saw the truth. One man nearly ripped this place apart, and our leader vanished in the middle of it. What kind of protection is that?"

His words stung.

Not because they were true—but because they were meant to sow doubt.

A few residents looked down. Some exchanged worried glances.

Liora’s expression stayed calm, but her eyes narrowed slightly.

"You’re not from this base," she said quietly.

The man paused.

He blinked.

Then forced a sneer. "I recently came here like the others. That doesn’t mean I can’t speak up."

But before Liora could respond, the large screen above the canteen flickered to life, which was monitored by the base management hall. Every functional building has one of these screens where people could see the announcements and new tasks from the base management hall.

But just as everyone was wondering why the screen lit up, the city’s management system activated, and a soft mechanical voice rang out.

[Alert: A base dispute has been detected. Investigating individual: Lang Yao.]

[Name: Lang Yao – Previously affiliated with East River Base.]

[Warning: Intent to instigate panic within the population detected. Subject has been monitored attempting to discredit base leadership and recruit residents to leave.]

Gasps echoed through the crowd.

People turned toward the man, surprised.

[Additional Report: Lang Yao has been in contact with leadership from East River Base. Objective: Undermine this base’s reputation and convince former East River members to return.]

Lang Yao’s face darkened instantly.

He tried to protest. "That’s a lie! They’re making that up!"

But the base’s system wasn’t finished.

[East River Base is located 20 km south of our position. It has existed for more than six months and housed over 5,000 survivors before the Second Rain.]

[Due to mismanagement, mutated creature invasions after the Second Rain, high civilian losses occurred. Many survivors migrated here for better protection. Lang Yao was sent to sabotage this transition.]

A heavy silence dropped over the plaza.

Everyone stared at the man.

Even those who had doubted Liora a moment ago now looked angry.

One woman near the front took a step forward and shouted, "My sister died protecting the East River base! And they didn’t even give us food afterward!"

Another man gritted his teeth. "They let my cousin fight a beast with no training. He never came back."

Lang Yao’s face turned pale.

He took a step back, but it was too late.

The truth was out.

Liora didn’t need to say anything now. The base had already spoken.

Still, she looked at the people in front of her—people who had once fled from ruined homes, from hunger, from death. People who had come here hoping for a second chance.

She stepped forward.

Her voice was soft but full of quiet power.

"I won’t let anyone destroy what we’ve built here. Not enemies from outside, and definitely not traitors hiding inside."

Her words settled like a heavy blanket over everyone.

Slowly, the mood shifted again.

The crowd fell into stunned silence for a moment.

Then, as if something cracked open, the people began to stir, this time not with doubt or fear, but with rising anger.

"That snake! He was acting so righteous just a minute ago!"

"He tried to stir us up! I saw him whispering to people yesterday!"

"How dare he come here and try to break what we’ve built?"