I Transmigrated as the Protagonist and Was Kidnapped by the Villainous Omega - Chapter 34

Miao Cuihua, or Aunt Miao, was one of the older Betas in the village. She was incredibly warm-hearted, as kind and familiar as a neighbor’s aunt. Whenever someone in the village had torn clothes or bedsheets, they’d go to her for repairs. Her needlework was exceptional. The finished products weren’t just mended. They often turned out even more exquisite and beautiful than before.

Hearing Hu Ziyuan’s call, Aunt Miao smiled and stepped forward, her gaze flickering between Hu Ziyuan and Tang Jin. “Well, well, well, a perfect match,” she teased. She had seen Tang Jin from afar several times. Her appearance and demeanor were top-notch, unsurpassed by any Alpha she had ever encountered. Everyone in the village privately whispered that this Alpha was the Second-in-Command’s new catch. Zhenyuan had even declared that it wouldn’t be long before the village gained a second madam.

From then on, Aunt Miao also started paying attention to Tang Jin, intending to vet her for their Second-in-Command. Later, she gradually discovered that although this Alpha was from Dragon’s Domain, she was humble, polite, and gentle—a rare good person in the apocalypse. What if they were from opposing forces? Just bring her over. What exactly are Dragon’s Domain and Hong Xiu Zhao, as well as the various districts? Ultimately, they were all people from the same island.

“Huh?” What match? Tang Jin stood there, utterly bewildered, feeling as though this auntie was scrutinizing her with a doting “mother-in-law” gaze, which was quite odd.

“Oh, look at you, saying such things,” Hu Ziyuan said, coyly covering her mouth with a laugh, her heart practically exploding. She then linked her arm through Tang Jin’s and said softly, “It’s getting cold. I’ve asked Aunt Miao to make you a set of clothes.”

Make clothes? Tang Jin was even more confused. She instinctively tried to withdraw her hand. “Second-in-Command, I appreciate the thought, but clothes aren’t necessary. I’m not particularly sensitive to the cold.”

How could she refuse? “No, you don’t understand.” Hu Ziyuan tightly embraced Tang Jin’s arm, moving a step closer. “This mountain gets surprisingly cold in winter; it snows heavily, unlike Dragon’s Domain.”

“But…”

“Hey, hey, hey,” Su Cheng interjected, her eyes aching at their “intimacy.” She raised a hand in protest, “I’ve been here so long; why don’t I get this kind of treatment?” They just wore whatever clothes they could find, so why was it a private custom order for Tang Jin?

“You call yourselves allies, but the disparity is just too great!”

“You’ll get yours too, eventually~.” Hu Ziyuan winked suggestively at her, then turned and pulled Tang Jin over to measure her. “Straighten your arm. Aunt Miao, is this right?”

“Oh, Second-in-Command, you need to take off your outer clothing for waist measurements, or they won’t be accurate.”

“N-no need, right…?”

“No, listen to Aunt Miao~”

“I’ll go, I’ll go if that’s what it takes…” Su Cheng truly couldn’t stand it anymore. What was with all this, day in and day out! She was unlucky in love, while someone else was living in bliss and didn’t even realize it. So annoying!

Miserably, she pushed the door open. The fog outside was growing thicker, just like her mood—heavy and unpleasant. Su Cheng walked slowly, her face strained, fumbling her way back to her own hut. Only when she got close did she notice the wooden door was ajar, leaving a small gap. She had clearly closed it when she left, so someone must have been inside. Who?

The moment she pushed the door open, Su Cheng’s nose suddenly caught a faint, refreshing scent of lime and mint. A woman stood in the center. Her slightly wavy long hair fell past her waist like a silver waterfall.

Her heart felt as if it had been struck by something intense. Su Cheng froze at the doorway, feeling as though the entire room had been illuminated. Hearing the movement behind her, Ling Yuexi looked back, her gaze soft as she asked, “Where did you go?”

Her jade-like eyes shone directly into Su Cheng’s, like a clear, calm spring pool, unruffled by ripples. It was as if nothing had happened; she hid her emotions even better than Su Cheng did. A flicker of bitter emotion passed through her. Su Cheng averted Ling Yuexi’s gaze, lowered her head, plucked a strand of hair, and smiled. “I went to get my hair washed by Tang Jin. She’s quite professional.”

In the past, Ling Yuexi would always look at her with wide, sparkling eyes, so enthusiastically she seemed ready to cling to her. Why had she become so reserved these past few days?

“Unhappy?” Ling Yuexi sensed her avoidance. She walked over, cupped Su Cheng’s face, and made her look directly at her. “Who upset you?”

Su Cheng’s heart fluttered slightly. Was it that obvious? I was so careful.

“No, not at all.” I am just a plaything; why would I dare to express anger? Hmph.

“You are still saying no,” Ling Yuexi said, flicking her nose. “How about I give you a gift?”

Hmm? What now? Was it her own Tang Dao (knife) or that piglet mask that looked like a stick figure? As she wondered, the person in front of her suddenly, with a swift “swish,” deftly pulled out a pistol from her outer thigh holster and pointed it directly at Su Cheng.

Su Cheng instinctively took a step back, widening her stance. Holy sht…?! Is she… is she sending me to my death?!*

“My apologies, it’s a habit.” Seeing her reaction, Ling Yuexi realized her action was inappropriate. She flipped the gun in her hand, offering the grip to Su Cheng. “It’s for you.”

“???” Is she really offering me the gun?

“…That’s terrifying.” Why does every gift from Ling Yuexi come with the aura of murder? As far as she knew, Ling Yuexi only had three guns in total. Besides a sniper rifle, she had two pistols: one gold and one silver Desert Eagle, both commonly used for close combat and self-defense. The one in front of her was one of them, with a rose gold body and dark tiger stripes, looking quite imposing and more luxurious than the silver one. Not even Dragon’s Domain had such a fine pistol, yet Ling Yuexi was going to give it to her?

“Are you sure?” Su Cheng asked, a little surprised, looking at Ling Yuexi with doubt. “Once it’s in my hands, don’t expect to get it back.”

“When have I ever asked for something back that I’ve given away?” Ling Yuexi’s lips curved upwards. “You don’t know how to use that Tang Dao anyway; use a gun instead. It’s more powerful and saves effort.”

Is it that simple? Is she just handing me a gun out of the blue? Isn’t she afraid I’ll misuse it? Su Cheng felt a surge of suspicion.

Seeing her frozen and not taking the gun, Ling Yuexi simply took her by the shoulders, turned her around, and embraced her from behind. “I’ll teach you.” She placed her hand on the gun alongside Su Cheng’s and extended both of their arms. “Aim from here. Keep your hand steady.”

Su Cheng’s body trembled slightly. She wanted to pull away a bit, but the moment she moved, Ling Yuexi immediately tightened her arms.

“Learn well.” Ling Yuexi’s slender fingers covered Su Cheng’s hand, and her voice came from beside her ear. “Chamber a round.” Her voice was cold, yet carried a rare tenderness.

Su Cheng’s mind went blank. She suddenly felt an uncontrollable nervousness, and her heart rate quickened. As she realized her own change, a bitter feeling welled up inside her. It’s truly… reversed now. Before, she was always the one to tease Ling Yuexi, smiling mischievously, sweet nothings rolling off her tongue without a second thought. Now that Ling Yuexi was taking the lead, she herself felt afraid.

Indeed, once a person falls in love, they become timid and cautious…

The faint scent of lime and mint filled her nostrils. Su Cheng mechanically followed Ling Yuexi’s movements, raising their arms slightly, aiming at the ceiling diagonally in front of them. Hooking Su Cheng’s index finger, holding the gun firmly in their joint grasp, Ling Yuexi leaned close to the ear of the person in her embrace and whispered, “Pull the trigger.”

With a “bang,” a large hole instantly appeared in the ceiling. Su Cheng, still dazed, flinched back from the noise, but the person behind her seemed to have anticipated her reaction. Ling Yuexi took the opportunity to kiss her cheek. “Did you get it now~?”

Thump, thump… Her heart thumped wildly; whether from shock or something else, she didn’t know. Damn it, this rotten Omega is so good at flirting… Su Cheng’s face instantly flushed crimson. How could a Dawn Break member not know how to use a gun? It’s just that it wasn’t her usual weapon.

“Yes, yes, I get it.” Su Cheng broke free from Ling Yuexi’s embrace, unconsciously stepping back. A tiny flicker of hope seemed to ignite in her heart once more. She lowered her gaze to the floor, her eyes shimmering. “You… why would you suddenly give me something so important?” This was a weapon Ling Yuexi always carried with her.

She gave it to her so easily. Was it because… because she likes you, you fool?

Ling Yuexi smiled, her red lips curving beautifully. The words on the tip of her tongue suddenly changed, and she teased, “Why so many questions? I just gave it because I wanted to.”

The flicker of hope in Su Cheng’s heart instantly died. She froze slightly. That casual tone again… Give when she wants, kill when she wants. Capricious, whimsical.

Her chest tightened painfully. Her gaze steadily darkened. After a moment of hesitation, she finally made up her mind. “I also… have a gift for you.”

“What?” Ling Yuexi seemed curious.

“…A more powerful gun.” Su Cheng turned her back to Ling Yuexi, her voice low. “But it’s hidden in my old home. We’d have to go into an infected zone… It ultimately depends on whether you are willing to take the risk.

“Which zone?”

“Eleven.”

Hong Xiu Zhao had only operated in low-level infected zones before, going no further than District Eight. For District Eleven, Ling Yuexi felt it would be better to wait, given their current equipment.

“I know a shortcut that can bypass those zombies,” Su Cheng continued, sensing her hesitation. “I’ve been there with the people from Dragon’s Domain before. Although there are many zombies there, they’re concentrated at the intersections, and the high-level ones have all been eliminated by Chaofeng. The remaining ones are easy to deal with; we just need to try to avoid them.”

“During that trip with Dragon’s Domain, there were too many eyes, and I didn’t dare to go home and get the gun, fearing it would be confiscated. I planned to wait for another opportunity to sneak back later.”

“…How about it? Will you follow me on the shortcut? Do you dare?”

Ling Yuexi stared fixedly at Su Cheng’s eyes, pondering for a long while. Then, she suddenly asked, “Are you sure it’s safe?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be there.” Su Cheng thumped her left shoulder, promising, “I’ll protect you~”

These words were sincere. Although she was using Ling Yuexi as bait, Su Cheng genuinely didn’t want to harm her. “I’ll protect you”—these four short words echoed in Ling Yuexi’s ears like an enchantment. Staring at Su Cheng’s solemn, confident eyes, her heart stirred, and she agreed as if by some strange impulse.

“No need to bring too many people; just pick a few skilled ones,” Su Cheng instructed, relieved. “I’ll let you know the time after I prepare.”

“Okay.”

Su Cheng deliberately chose a time when everyone else was busy. These past few days, Shi Yunqi and Pupu had been out early and back late, seemingly testing some mech, remaining mysterious and out of sight all day. Hu Ziyuan, meanwhile, was constantly hovering around Tang Jin, sometimes with Aunt Miao, tinkering with something unknown.

Su Cheng selected four skilled Betas. She strapped on her Tang Dao, brought her rake, and checked her backpack. After Ling Yuexi came down from the mountaintop with her gun ready, the group departed the village together.

The roar of the engine sounded, and Hu Ziyuan, who had been lying on a long chair getting her hair washed, suddenly opened her eyes, puzzled. “Did I mishear? Is someone going out today?”

Tang Jin’s fingers ran through Hu Ziyuan’s hair, gently smoothing it in the water. After a moment, she said, “I’m not sure.” She didn’t entirely approve of Su Cheng’s plan. For Tang Jin, the strength of Hong Xiu Zhao was no longer that important. She had seen with her own eyes what kind of people they were.

“Su Cheng, I don’t think the leader is the kind of person you describe.”

Whenever this topic came up, Su Cheng would just wave her hand dismissively. “That’s just the surface; eyes can be deceptive.”

“Don’t fall into emotions; it will only lead to unhappiness.”

“An Omega will only affect my draw speed.”

“…” Some people just wouldn’t listen to advice and insisted on seeing things for themselves before believing. If that was the case, then so be it. She would realize her mistake when she faced a formidable obstacle.

District Eleven was no longer equipped with powerful zombies. An S-tier Alpha could still manage the remaining minors. Besides, when Tang Jin was captured, all her belongings were searched by Hong Xiu Zhao, including several vials of antiviral inhibitors, which would be very helpful to them. Even if all else failed, she was still there.

******

Outside District Eleven:

Su Cheng rolled down the car window to let in some air and pointed at the dark mass ahead. “The zombies are all gathered at the highway entrance. There aren’t many roaming inside the city. We can enter through the path Dragon’s Domain used to breach.”

“Good.” Ling Yuexi checked her firearms again and nodded. “You lead the way.”

“Okay.” With a turn of the steering wheel, Su Cheng drove far around the large concentration of zombies blocking the way, then turned onto an overgrown shortcut she remembered. District Eleven had originally been breached by the original Su Cheng leading the vanguard army. She still remembered the path they had taken back then. The longer she had been transmigrated, the better these memories integrated with her, feeling as real as if she had personally experienced them.

After a long detour, the car finally drove into District Eleven through a damaged fence. At the same time, Su Cheng’s left hand casually rested on the car window. As her fingertip relaxed, a tiny black pill fell silently to the floor. The two cars, front and back, sped past, no one noticing the tiny pill slowly emitting a strange fragrance…

“You’re quite brave.” Su Cheng held the steering wheel, her expression somewhat complex as she drove, shaking off the roadside zombies. “…You actually dared to come with me. Do you trust me that much?”

She didn’t before. But now it’s different.

Ling Yuexi’s lips curled into a smile, and she heard her say, “What’s there to be afraid of~”