Apocalypse with my SSS Harem Beauties-Chapter 151: Pebbles

Rafe kept staring at them for a while longer. The firelight reflected faintly in his narrowed eyes as thoughts moved quickly behind his calm expression.

Red needs to know this.

He had not joined Michael’s group out of loyalty. He had never cared about justice or revenge. From the beginning, this had been an investment. A calculated move.

He wanted to enter Red’s inner circle to become one of the higher-ups in his group. In this new world, strength ruled everything, and Red’s group was one of the most dominant in the area, he knew it.

Serving under him meant protection, resources, women, and authority.

A comfortable life.

In comparison, infiltrating Michael’s camp had been a small sacrifice.

So far, he had done well.

Michael trusted him. Saw him as a capable companion with decent strength. And Michael was too consumed by hatred to question small inconsistencies. His obsession with revenge narrowed his perspective and gave him tunnel vision.

That worked in Rafe’s favor.

Without drawing attention, Rafe slipped away from the gathering.

He moved past the tents and crates until the firelight no longer touched the ground beneath his feet.

Darkness welcomed him at the back edge of the camp.

He reached beneath his shirt and pulled out a small pendant.

It looked like a simple pebble hanging from a thin cord.

But it was not ordinary.

The pebble was a paired communication item. Its twin rested in Red’s possession.

Rafe gathered a thread of MP and injected it into the object.

The pebble warmed faintly in his palm.

He glanced around, confirming no one stood nearby.

Then he waited.

Seconds passed. Then a calm voice echoed directly inside his mind.

"You got something?" Red asked.

"Yes," Rafe replied mentally. "Michael and the new group’s leader were talking. It looks like they’re planning to cooperate."

There was a short pause.

"Ah... I expected that. This new group is quite strong, aren’t they?"

"Yes. They all have magical weapons that are supposed to be rare." Rafe hesitated briefly. "There’s also someone strange among them. A woman with wings."

"Hm... probably just one of her skills," Red replied casually. "Don’t worry. In the end, they’re all the same. They won’t be a problem."

A low chuckle followed.

Rafe grimaced slightly, though Red could not see it.

"Are you sure?"

"Are you doubting me?" Red’s voice turned colder and sharper.

"No. Of course not," Rafe answered quickly.

"Good. Just be a proper spy. Do your job. Then you’ll earn your place in my group. If you ruin this..." Red’s tone hardened further. "You’ll face the consequences."

Rafe gritted his teeth.

He hated being spoken to like that. Like a subordinate. Like a dog waiting for scraps.

But he swallowed the resentment.

"Yes. I understand."

"Good."

The connection cut off instantly.

The pebble cooled in his hand and became nothing more than an ordinary stone again.

Rafe put it back around his neck and tucked it beneath his shirt.

He did not leave immediately.

Instead, he stood there in the darkness, thinking.

What if he played both sides?

If Michael’s group and Red’s faction clashed, both would suffer losses. Even the strong could bleed and even leaders could fall.

And if they weakened each other enough... He could step in at the right moment and take what remained. The resources, authority, and their position.

Wouldn’t that be better?

A slow smirk formed on his lips.

To make that happen, he would need to move carefully. Say the right things. Feed just enough information to each side.

He needs to be careful and patient.

After a moment, Rafe composed himself and returned to the campfire.

His expression looked normal.

As if nothing had happened.

—

After the talk ended, Myles returned to his tent first.

The night air felt cooler away from the fire. The sounds of laughter faded into a distant murmur behind him.

He entered the tent and sat down on his bed.

The thin mattress dipped slightly under his weight. The faint glow of a small lantern illuminated the interior with steady yellow light.

A few seconds later, the tent flap opened.

Victor stepped in and George followed right behind him.

Both of them wore serious expressions. Their eyes were steady and focused, as if they had already reached a conclusion before coming here and it wasn’t a coincidence that they were here.

Myles immediately understood that they came deliberately.

"Myles," Victor began, voice low but direct. "What were you talking about with Michael?"

George stood beside him silently, arms folded, waiting.

"He asked for cooperation," Myles said calmly. "There’s a group led by a psychopath. He wants our help to destroy them."

Victor and George exchanged a brief glance.

Then they pulled two plastic chairs closer and sat down in front of him.

"You agreed?" Victor asked.

"Based on what I heard, that group is dangerous," Myles replied. "Their leader is strong. And he enjoys making others suffer before killing them."

His tone remained neutral.

"If we don’t remove them first, they will eventually become a threat to us."

George nodded slowly.

"That makes sense. Do you trust him?" George asked.

Myles paused.

He recalled Michael’s expression by the fire. The restrained hatred in his eyes.

"His hatred felt real," Myles said. "His girlfriend was raped and then killed by that leader. That kind of emotion isn’t easy to fake."

Victor’s gaze sharpened slightly.

"And if he’s lying?"

Myles’ eyes turned colder. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"Then we adjust."

He leaned forward slightly.

"They don’t know our full capability." His voice lowered. "They still think our strength comes purely from leveling in the system and magical weapons. They don’t know we can circulate real Ether without relying entirely on the system."

Victor’s eyes glinted with understanding.

That was their true advantage.

Even if the system vanished tomorrow, they would still retain combat efficiency far beyond ordinary awakened individuals.

"If Michael betrays us, we can suppress them back," Victor said quietly.

"Yes," Myles replied.

Silence settled briefly inside the tent.

Outside, the wind brushed lightly against the fabric walls.

"So what’s the plan?" George asked.

"We gather more information first," Myles said. "We confirm Red’s strength. Then we move decisively."

Victor and George nodded in understanding.

—