High-Altitude Worker, Unfortunately a Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Role - Chapter 41

“Sect? What sect, Miss Mingxiang? What are you talking about?” Guan Muya exclaimed, her face paling with shock.

Yue Xing’s expression instantly darkened. “Mingxiang, didn’t you say you were unaffiliated?”

Zhao Ke remained silent, raising her hands. The backs of her twin daggers scraped together, sending sparks flying and a piercing screech echoing across the desolate desert.

In the next instant, countless figures wearing white masks emerged from behind the dunes, their movements swift and graceful as they encircled the protagonist group.

“The Formless Sect!”

Zhong Zhao, the veteran actor playing the male second lead, roared, his voice hoarse. His sand-dusted beard trembled as his eyes flashed with a sharp glint.

Yue Xing drew his Horizontal Blade, positioning it defensively before him. He shifted his stance slightly, blocking Zhao Ke’s gaze from Guan Muya. “I never thought I’d misjudge someone so badly. Tell me, what is your true identity?”

Du Xizhao, the male third lead, gently swayed his iron fan, his fox-like eyes gleaming with amusement. “Black robes, twin blades… I never imagined the Formless Sect’s specialized assassin puppet would be such a young woman.”

As his words faded, Zhao Ke’s eyes flickered momentarily. She quickly masked her reaction, her voice turning cold and hard. “Enough talk. Whether it’s the Xuan Jade or you who carry its secrets, none of you will leave this desert alive today.”

The short blades glinted with a cold light, pointing directly at the group.

“Hahaha, well done! This world will ultimately belong to the Formless Sect!”

One of the white-masked figures stepped forward, his robe trimmed with gold, marking his distinguished status.

Guan Muya gritted her teeth, her expression resolute as she rose from the ground. She drew the Azure Tide Sword and pointed it at Zhao Ke. “I’ve heard the Formless Sect’s puppets never strike without drawing bl00d. On behalf of the Canglan Sword Pavilion, I challenge you to a duel. What do you say?”

Zhao Ke remained silent.

Her response was a sudden, shadowy figure closing in, followed by the flash of a blade.

The short blade struck the Azure Tide Sword with a resonant clang, like a signal. Instantly, chaos erupted across the sand dunes.

Zhao Ke and Guan Muya clashed fiercely, evenly matched.

The protagonist group, outnumbered and surrounded, found the encirclement gradually tightening.

Out of the corner of her eye, Guan Muya saw a cold light streaking toward Yue Xing’s vital points. Reacting faster than her mind could process, she hurled her longsword, instantly piercing a Formless Sect member.

Simultaneously, Zhao Ke’s short blade slashed across Guan Muya’s neck, leaving a glaring red mark on her snow-white skin.

Guan Muya touched the shallow wound on her neck, her gaze burning with fury as she glared at Zhao Ke.

“You’re off course.”

“No, you don’t want to kill me.”

Guan Muya advanced steadily toward Zhao Ke, her resolve unwavering. “Kill me now, while I’m unarmed.”

But Zhao Ke retreated, her usually cold obsidian eyes darting about in confusion.

The white-robed figure with golden trim, who had noticed the pair in the corner, realized this was the perfect opportunity to eliminate a genius from Canglan Sword Pavilion. With a swift turn, he lunged at Guan Muya.

Zhao Ke’s expression hardened. In an instant, she surged forward, intercepting the white-robed figure.

“Go,” she said, her voice as dry and fleeting as the desert dust.

The dagger flew at an impossible angle, slicing through the necks of two white-robed figures in a flash, bl00d splattering across the sand.

Zhao Ke, clad in black robes and with dark hair, moved like a phantom among the white-robed figures. Wherever she passed, they crumpled like paper dolls, collapsing at the slightest touch.

Guan Muya cast Zhao Ke a deep, lingering look before calling out to the protagonist group, “Let’s go, quickly!”

The group had no time to hesitate. The moment Zhao Ke revealed her true identity, their paths had diverged.

They sped away into the distance.

Zhao Ke tried to stop the white-robed figures from pursuing them, but she was outnumbered. Soon, her body was riddled with countless wounds.

She collapsed heavily onto the sand dune, her head tilted to the side. In her peripheral vision, the figures of her friends gradually blurred on the distant horizon.

A single tear traced a path from the corner of her eye, splashing into the sand and vanishing instantly.

“Cut!”

“That’s a wrap!”

As Director He’s firm voice rang out, the main cast members, who had been running away, circled back and surrounded Zhao Ke.

“We’re done filming!”

“Congratulations!”

Zhao Ke scrambled up from the sand, wiped her eyes, and grinned widely. “We’re done!”

“Let’s go get barbecue!”

The sunset’s golden glow, the smoky aroma of grilling meat, beer, and barbecue—few moments in life could rival this simple pleasure.

Although the main cast still had a few scenes left to shoot, with the Spring Festival approaching, the crew was taking a break, postponing filming until after the holiday.

Director He, unusually mingling with the crew, surprised everyone. Zhao Ke had assumed he was just unwinding after the intense work, but it turned out he was a full-blown alcoholic.

“Drink up!”

“Tonight, I’ll see who can still walk home!”

Director He, his arm around the assistant director, raised his glass high, looking determined to drink until he dropped.

Seeing this, Guan Muya pulled Zhao Ke aside and whispered, “Director He always just cares about having fun. He won’t even notice if someone offers him water instead of alcohol later.”

Zhao Ke chuckled. “Well, at least he’s open-minded.”

After nearly four months of filming, the production had finally wrapped. Zhao Ke, relieved of her heavy responsibilities, sprawled in her chair, savoring the rare moment of leisure.

Director He, thoroughly drunk, wandered over to Zhao Ke. He clapped her on the shoulder, closed his eyes, and launched into a rambling speech: “You know what? You’ve got something special, kid. Your action scenes… they’re even more impressive than someone who’s been training since childhood! When I first saw you jump off that building, whew! It scared me half to death behind the monitor!”

Zhao Ke smiled and deftly dodged Director He’s clumsy pat. “Your guidance made all the difference, Director He. I learned so much from you.”

Director He’s eyes lit up when he noticed the glass in Zhao Ke’s hand. He asked tentatively, “Would you… have a drink with me?”

Zhao Ke replied casually, “Of course.”

After several rounds, Director He prematurely ended his drinking spree for the night.

Zhao Ke had gotten Director He completely drunk, leaving him sprawled face-up on the sandy ground, utterly undignified.

Zhao Ke, her face flushed but her breathing steady, weaved through the crowd and precisely located the assistant director in the throng. She pointed at Director He on the ground. “Director He’s drunk. Could you please take him home?”

The assistant director stared blankly, glancing from Director He on the ground to Zhao Ke’s still-pale face, his mind reeling.

What’s going on? he thought, dazed. I didn’t even drink that much. How did Director He, who can usually hold his liquor, end up passed out on the ground?

Zhao Ke returned to City A.

As the New Year approached, the streets began to empty.

The official Among the Woods Weibo account released Zhao Ke’s wrap-up special.

Night rain, bamboo forests, dense fog, and the Formless Sect’s ghostly assassins—mysterious and captivating.

As expected, the response was overwhelmingly positive.

Wow, the visuals are stunning!

I’m getting really hyped for this!

This has big-budget vibes! I hope the pacing in the full film is good.

Zhao Ke completely ignored the scattered negative comments.

They didn’t even show her face once. It’s obvious Zhao Ke’s acting is terrible.

It’s all action scenes. They probably used a stunt double for most of it.

Pfft, if you hadn’t told me Zhao Ke was in this trailer, I wouldn’t have even noticed.

“So, what are your plans next?”

Sun Yue, having learned that Zhao Ke had killed Qing, had pestered her relentlessly until she agreed to meet.

Damn it! Just watching the trailer had given her a nosebleed. She needed to see the real thing to satisfy her craving.

As Sun Yue spoke, her gaze never wavered from Zhao Ke’s face.

Zhao Ke, still somewhat in character, initially reacted to Sun Yue’s question by wanting to give a false answer. After a moment’s hesitation, she carefully chose her words: “I’ll follow my manager’s arrangements. Most likely, I’ll take on a variety show. If Among the Woods gets a good reception, I should be able to get more acting roles.”

Sun Yue looked disappointed. “A variety show? Will it be as successful as Four Walks of Life? Director He seemed really pleased with you. Why don’t you ask him to recommend you to other directors?”

Zhao Ke turned to Sun Yue, her eyes narrowing slightly. “You seem to know quite a lot.”

Wow, she’s so beautiful.

Sun Yue was momentarily stunned by Zhao Ke’s beauty, taking half a second to recover before puffing out her chest proudly. “Of course! When it comes to following stars, I’ve got it down pat.”

“Oh, so you’re a fan of mine.” Zhao Ke’s tone was indifferent.

Fvck, she’s flirting with me!

Sun Yue screamed inwardly.

Ahhh, is she some kind of lucky star reincarnated? Not only did I get to eat hotpot face-to-face with my idol, but I also got such a delicious fan service!

My life is complete!

Zhao Ke had already gotten Director He drunk, so she couldn’t possibly ask him to recommend another director.

Of course, Zhao Ke and Liu Tiande both agreed that after Among the Woods aired and her acting skills were properly evaluated, they would choose scripts based on the actual situation, which would be the best approach for her long-term development.

As for variety shows, Liu Tiande had found one for Zhao Ke:

A travel show where she would drive herself around foreign countries.

Liu Tiande wanted to promote Zhao Ke’s “Pickup Truck Queen” persona and prove her English proficiency. Although Zhao Ke didn’t quite understand the reasoning, she nodded in agreement, trusting her manager’s judgment.

“So, what are you planning to do during the New Year holiday?” Sun Yue asked, her excitement finally subsiding.

Zhao Ke thought for a moment before replying, “Just stay home, I guess. Nothing special.”

The original owner’s family had long since fallen apart. Those distant relatives she barely knew had stopped contacting her years ago. As for her deadbeat father and half-brother, Zhao Ke saw no reason to maintain any connection with them.

God knows what corner of the Earth they were on.

To Zhao Ke’s surprise, Yan Huaixu contacted her first, after his routine of posting a few cat photos every few days like a machine.

Yhx: Master Zhao, I have an unusual request.

AAA High-Altitude Installation Master Zhao: Please go ahead.

Yhx: Could you take care of my cat for the New Year holiday?

Zhao Ke had never owned a cat in either of her lives, and she wasn’t entirely sure why she agreed to Yan Huaixu’s request. Perhaps it was because she had watched this little cat grow up, in a way.

She floored the accelerator and sped to Imperial City Garden.

The luxury residence was heated to a sweltering warmth. When Yan Huaixu opened the door, a wave of heat rushed out, flushing Zhao Ke’s cheeks crimson.

Yan Huaixu leaned against the doorframe, his thin knitted shirt unbuttoned at the chest, revealing collarbones that gleamed like sculpted art under the light.

Zhao Ke swallowed hard, her voice dry. “It’s really warm in here, Boss.”

Yan Huaixu smiled but didn’t reply, simply stepping aside to invite her in.

“The cat food and litter are all prepared. Thank you for your help.”

“No problem at all,” Zhao Ke waved dismissively. “It’s just one more mouth to feed.”

She tentatively reached out to pet the cat. Recognizing the scent of its rescuer, the kitten collapsed against Zhao Ke’s leg, purring contentedly and begging for more strokes.

Zhao Ke frowned and looked up at Yan Huaixu. “Why is this cat purring so loudly?”