Apocalypse King: Recruiting S-Tier Beauties With My Ruler System-Chapter 216: Lin Fen

"John, we’ve noticed humans scouting the areas we’ve been clearing."

Tang Wei came to find me this morning during my daily exercise, my body covered in sweat, as she continued her report like it didn’t matter.

"Though not hostile, we cannot take a risk, so I have organised for our group to look out and guard throughout the day constantly." She looked at me as if to seek my approval, but honestly, I felt she did well.

"Who will take part?"

There was an easy solution, or one that might be risky. I wanted to see how Tang Wei thought and understand her better.

"I believe we should have two seasoned members who can manage the task with two newbies to train them on scouting and observation. Combat is important, but our group will suffer in the long run if we don’t focus on other skills."

Just as I thought, something that took me a while to realise was second nature to the true professionals.

"You’re right."

Tang Wei looked pleased, her smile rare, but since Li ya appeared, her stern and unapproachable exterior faded.

Although her red-haired friend was strange in other ways.

[Tang Wei Affection + 10]

"Good, you should discuss with Jiang Roulan about who would be best to teach them such skills. If you need help, then come to me at any point."

"Of Course!"

She saluted, strangely bowed her head, and left to find Jiang Roulan in the makeshift kitchen.

Li Ya came to my side smiling, "Our Wei-Wei is smart."

Honestly, I learned a vital thing during the time spent with this woman, her messy red hair and loose clothes exposing her breasts when she leaned forward, yet daily, no matter what, her delicate care for that halberd made me realise that everyone was different.

Nobody needed me to be the best at everything, just the essential things.

I could use those around me to help complete tasks beyond me, and since I stopped trying to control everything or obsess, my life became more relaxed and calm.

"What time are you heading out today?"

Li Ya stopped her maintenance and cracked her neck, "Well, about an hour? I think the scouts were familiar, so I am going to take a group to test this theory."

"Familiar?"

"Yeah, but I don’t want to rush and risk our current growth."

"Hah, you just don’t want to lose the cooking right?"

"Haha, damn you got me. Idiot." Li Ya watched me momentarily as I dangled upside down to perform inverted sit-ups.

[Li Ya enjoyed the sight: Affection +5]

Small gains like this have happened often over the past few days.

***

We left just after breakfast.

After four days of clearing and constant fighting, the streets were quiet.

Rusted old cars in place, overgrowth creeping between the cracks of shattered pavement. Since the world’s end, the city has become overrun by the rapidly expanding flora.

Jiang Roulan walked beside me, dressing in a sexy black combat blouse with her sleeves rolled up, and tonfa strapped to her hips, the Type-9k resting on her wrist. Her long legs made less noise than most, moving like a panther through the broken roads.

Today was busy; we’d already killed ten zombies before breakfast ended. She looked warm, with beads of sweat trailing down her temple as the sun rose higher.

"South district’s still full of zombies, but the signal boosters Tang Wei’s team installed are finally picking something up."

"Signals from what?"

"Other humans, probably survivors who use communication devices, walkie-talkies or headsets."

Interesting.

I didn’t know about this; it might not have been important enough to tell me yet. Tang Wei mentioned the survivors, so she likely didn’t tell me the small details.

"I see, let’s be careful then."

Not that I needed to worry; hunting zombies below Stage Three wasn’t difficult anymore; only the newbies needed protection from them due to the immense growth of power between Stages Two and Three.

Mu Qinglan and Shen Yifei normally acted as the protectors. freёwebnoѵel.com

So even that fear faded.

"Where is Li Ya?"

"She is here..." Jiang Roulan tapped the small map with various markings of all the buildings we scavenged and cleared. I didn’t think this kind of thing was worth it, because I relied on the System, but Roulan and Lan’er scolded me.

"I see, what is today’s target for the others?"

"Here, and there." She pointed to a medium-sized shop and another small pharmacy, and she said that stocking up on medicine was something that Tang Wei had proposed.

Ever since I came clean about the System to the women I trust most, they stopped me from spending ZKP on stupid things, so I didn’t have much to buy.

"Phew..." Mu Qinglan had stayed behind to oversee the barracks and gear storage, but threatened me with no sex if I didn’t behave... which was code for

"Don’t bring any more new girls without telling me first."

We took a right past a collapsed overpass, where ash and soot stained everything black—the area looked strange, like someone had let off a bomb.

Roulan slowed beside me, scanning the rooftops with narrowed eyes.

"Stop," she said sharply.

Everyone froze.

She pointed toward a shattered storefront half a block ahead. That’s when the same kind of soot and ash appeared, and the fresh burning corpses of zombies lingered.

"Is there someone else here?"

"Yes, and they seem to be in that direction." She tapped the map, and it matched my flicking display. Her ability to use the map and plan was remarkable. "What is the plan?" She asked me, her soft almond eyes focused on my face.

Roulan seemed serious, holding her tonfa tight and chewing her bottom lip.

"Shall we slowly head in that direction, contact Tang Wei and Li Ya to prepare to move closer from three directions. There are openings here, here and there." I pointed out the places the System suggested on her map.

"It could end up in a firefight, are you sure?" She asked while holding my hand.

"Yeah... we should try to interact with humans. Our numbers are too low to resist a horde right now."

The next moment, my jaw dropped.

Roulan nodded once and tapped her earpiece. "Wei-Wei, Ya. Group sighted. About six to eight people, looks like they cleared a patch of zombies and camped in one of the storefronts near building nineteen."

When did they start calling each other by pet names?

And why didn’t I know the building’s number?

The buzz of the comms echoed, spilling into my System, letting me hear their conversation.

"Understood, we are five minutes out, I will take point C." Tang Wei’s voice came through steady and clear.

"Already moving to Point B, Over!" Li Ya’s voice was looser, amused but just as serious.

"Alright." I glanced at Roulan. "Let’s go. Slow and calm."

"I am heading to Point A, ETA five minutes, don’t move before I am in position."

We approached through the ruins of a bookstore, Roulan taking point while supporting her, watching for zombies and humans was difficult after they burned everything. A cracked mirror lingered in the doorway, before I got a partial view of the survivors.

Four men and two women, one of whom stood out immediately.

Long legs in tactical trousers, hair tied in a neat bun, shirt partially unbuttoned from the heat. She held a pistol low, sweeping left to right like muscle memory, clearing the zone. I didn’t know her, but Roulan froze behind a collapsed shelf when she saw her.

"That’s her..." she whispered. "Her name’s Lin Fen. She used to work under my mother. Legal counsel. She managed contracts and corporate disputes."

"Think she’ll remember you?"

"Without question."

"Good or bad?"

Roulan hesitated. "...Complicated."

Oh... I forgot that Jiang Roulan’s quest was to connect with her estranged family. I could only sigh and step forward while irritated by my negligence.

A crunch echoed under my boot, loud in the silence.

The woman with the pistol immediately raised it, eyes locked on me.

"Don’t move!" she shouted. "Who are you?"

"Just survivors," I said, raising one hand. "Name’s John. We’ve cleared a lot of the area around here. Didn’t think there were others still moving in this direction."

I don’t think she believed me, because her eyes sharpened and her hand brushed the safety on her pistol.

"This area isn’t safe. You shouldn’t be this far out unless you’re suicidal."

Roulan stepped out from cover behind me, her voice calm but clear.

"We’re not suicidal. There is no other choice with the world like this. Stand down Lin Fen, otherwise my mother would be pretty pissed."

The woman’s eyes widened.

"Jiang...?" Her mouth parted slightly. "Jiang Roulan?"

Roulan nodded. "It’s been a while, Sister Fen"

Lin Fen lowered her pistol, still cautious but shaken. "You’re alive... that’s good, all that matters." I could sense her relief. The woman sighed and waved her hand as the others came forward, looking at Jiang Roulan with an inquisitive glance.

That’s when Lin Fen pointed at me, clearly displeased.

"Roulan, who is he?"

Foll𝑜w current novℯls on fre𝒆web(n)ovel.co(m)