High-Altitude Worker, Unfortunately a Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Role - Chapter 28

The Mingde International Mental Health Center was located on the outskirts of City A. Zhao Ke drove her pickup truck through the torrential rain for two hours before finally reaching her destination.

At first glance, the center resembled an art gallery rather than a mental hospital. A four- or five-story white building with a modern design stood on a lush green lawn, nestled between mountains and a lake.

“Hello, do you have an appointment?”

A young woman in a light pink, form-fitting nurse’s uniform approached, subtly assessing Zhao Ke’s attire.

Zhao Ke wore a plain white short-sleeved shirt with no visible brand, ordinary knee-length shorts, and waterproof tan-colored Dr. Martens boots for the rainy weather.

Typical, unpretentious fisherman’s outfit, the nurse instantly concluded.

But the very next moment, this judgment crumbled when the nurse saw Zhao Ke’s face.

With such a stunning face, what need was there for any particular outfit? Zhao Ke’s mere presence was enough to make her look like a poster model.

“I’m here to see Qiao Qinglu,” Zhao Ke said slowly, after admiring the mental health center’s minimalist white decor.

“Very well, please follow me.”

The nurse led the way.

Zhao Ke followed behind, her boots leaving a trail of muddy footprints on the frosted white ceramic tiles as she stepped through the rainwater outside.

Qiao Qinglu was in a private room.

Most of the time, she was restrained to the bed, her wrists and ankles bound by straps that prevented even the most basic movements, like turning over.

Only when she remained quiet for extended periods would the rotating nurses reward her by loosening the restraints.

Qiao Qinglu had a habit of acting out during mealtimes, frequently throwing her tray or even splashing food at the nurses who brought it.

As a result, with Qiao Shuxue’s permission, the nurses began administering large doses of a three-in-one nutrient solution intravenously, providing only small amounts of dry rations daily to maintain her digestive function.

“Be careful,” the nurse warned Zhao Ke kindly. “She can be violent sometimes.”

Zhao Ke nodded. “Alright, I’ll talk to her myself. You don’t need to worry about me.”

The nurse didn’t press further, but before leaving, she surreptitiously took a photo with her phone.

Zhao Ke noticed but didn’t stop her.

Qiao Qinglu stared blankly at Zhao Ke for nearly five minutes before reacting. “How did you get here?”

She sat stiffly on the edge of the bed, her limbs hanging limply. Her skin had lost its elasticity, appearing withered and dull, like a tree on the verge of dying.

“I have some questions for you,” Zhao Ke said, dragging a chair over to sit facing Qiao Qinglu.

She propped her elbow on her knee, rested her fist against her chin, and stared directly into Qiao Qinglu’s eyes.

“Why did you sign with Star Yue Media back then? Was it just because they promised you resources?”

“What, are you out of roles now?” Qiao Qinglu sneered, her voice weak and strained.

Prolonged intravenous feeding had bloated her face, the swollen eyelids further diminishing what little ferocity remained in her gaze.

“Yes, someone stole my resources,” Zhao Ke replied with a cold smile, as if genuinely regretful.

“What leverage does Liu Tiande have over me?”

Qiao Qinglu’s shoulders trembled, as if she were laughing. She glanced at Zhao Ke, her eyes filled with a strange light.

“Why would you think that? Liu Tiande is my personally appointed manager. He wouldn’t even kneel down and lick my shoes for me, let alone have any leverage over me.”

“You’re looking in the wrong place, Zhao Ke.”

“What do you want? Tell me the truth, and I’ll do it.” Zhao Ke had no patience left for Qiao Qinglu’s games.

“Promise me one thing,” Qiao Qinglu said immediately, as if she had been waiting for this moment.

“…Fine.”

Zhao Ke silently added: Anything illegal or unethical is off the table.

Qiao Qinglu shifted, the metal chain around her ankle dragging across the floor with a crisp clinking sound.

She lifted her foot, bent her knee, and rested it on the edge of the bed, then wrapped the chain—which restricted her movement to within two meters—around her neck like a scarf.

The other end of the chain was welded to the bed’s armrest, creating the illusion that Qiao Qinglu was nestled against it.

“Liu Tiande wasn’t originally with Star Yue. He was my sister’s first manager, the one who discovered her in a remote mountain village without even internet access and brought her to City A for a talent show.”

Qiao Qinglu’s teeth ground together as she spoke of her sister.

“Back then, his small company had only a dozen employees. I poached him and then got him a position at Star Yue Media.”

“Zhao Ke, wouldn’t you say I was the key to his career success?”

Zhao Ke leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, watching Qiao Qinglu’s bloodshot eyes and gesturing for her to continue.

“Star Yue Media has several long-established Film Emperors and Film Empresses, as well as singers who were once wildly popular. Do you know why they’ve stayed with the company all these years, even as their fame faded, instead of striking out on their own like other celebrities?”

“At first, I didn’t understand, and I didn’t care. I just kept demanding resources from them.”

Qiao Qinglu gripped the edge of the bed, her entire body trembling uncontrollably. It was impossible to tell if she was laughing or terrified.

“Until one day, I don’t even remember which time it was, I sneaked into Kong Jianshan’s office while he was out and checked his computer for recent scripts. That’s when I discovered his secret—or rather, the entire company’s secret.”

The secret behind the entertainment giant’s enduring dominance, like a massive Xuan Turtle that had stood unshakeable for decades.

Suddenly, Qiao Qinglu began tearing off her clothes.

“What are you doing?!” Zhao Ke shouted, trying to stop Qiao Qinglu’s frantic actions.

But Qiao Qinglu slapped Zhao Ke’s hand away.

The hospital gown was loose, the buttons popping off with a single tug, exposing Qiao Qinglu’s bruised and naked body to Zhao Ke.

“They’re nude photos, you know? Nude photos!”

Qiao Qinglu, acting like a madwoman, spread her arms wide, exposing herself completely.

“From the Film Emperors and Film Empresses to the newly signed trainees—men and women, every single one of them has nude photos in Kong Jianshan’s hands! Except for us two! Except for us two! Hahahahaha!”

Zhao Ke frowned deeply, twisting away from Qiao Qinglu’s grasp.

Her voice cold, Zhao Ke revealed the final layer of truth: “You found out, but you chose to stay silent.”

“Of course I stayed silent!” Qiao Qinglu stepped forward, but the suffocating iron chain around her neck yanked her back, forcing her to collapse onto the bed.

She pounded the mattress furiously, her eyes bloodshot. “If I spoke up, who would feed me resources?”

At that time, Qiao Shuxue had successfully debuted as the center, rising like a dark horse. The Qiao Family, finally realizing her worth, acknowledged Qiao Shuxue and began to neglect Qiao Qinglu.

Desperate to outshine Qiao Shuxue in terms of resources, Qiao Qinglu wanted to crush her rival’s chances of ever rising again.

With the Qiao Family no longer supporting her, her only option was to cling to Star Yue Media, a rotting tree riddled with wormholes.

When Qiao Qinglu and Zhao Ke first joined Star Yue Media, the Qiao and Zhao Families were at the height of their power in City A. For reasons unknown, the company’s executives didn’t reject their applications. Instead, they concealed the truth, treating the two as the only legitimately signed artists.

That day, when Zhao Ke saw the scars on the girl group members’ bodies, she finally understood: those scars were their shared reality and their shackles, while she was the privileged outsider who didn’t understand their plight.

Watching the deranged Qiao Qinglu before her, Zhao Ke felt deeply mocked by fate.

If she had stood up for justice back then, would Qiao Qinglu have shattered her predetermined role as the villainous supporting character?

But it was too late. The only two people in the world who knew the truth were now powerless and insignificant.

“You’re mocking me, aren’t you, Zhao Ke? You’re mocking me!” Qiao Qinglu glared at Zhao Ke, her eyes bloodshot. “You think you’re above it all, looking down on me, thinking I’m pathetic.”

“Pah! Coward!” Qiao Qinglu spat viciously.

A lump of foul air choked Zhao Ke’s throat. “Qiao Qinglu, between the two of us, who’s the real coward?”

Zhao Ke grabbed the iron chain around Qiao Qinglu’s neck and yanked her off the bed.

The suffocating pressure intensified, Qiao Qinglu’s face flushed crimson as she struggled. “You… you promised me… one thing.”

Zhao Ke’s hand suddenly loosened, and Qiao Qinglu collapsed back onto the bed.

Zhao Ke’s gaze turned icy. “Speak.”

“You promised me, you promised me!” Qiao Qinglu clutched at the hem of Zhao Ke’s robe. “You have to promise me.”

“What is it?” Zhao Ke asked impatiently.

At this point, what could possibly matter so much to Qiao Qinglu?

“It was Qiao Shuxue! Qiao Shuxue manipulated me into killing you! She manipulated me! It wasn’t my idea, it wasn’t me, it was her! It was her!”