Pretending to Be a Scumbag A, But Being Targeted by a Paranoid O - Chapter 1

My body feels so hot, Yun Shu thought groggily.

Not only that, but her nose was filled with a strong, pleasant peach scent.

She hadn’t bought any peaches on her way back from the milk tea shop today.

But this peach scent was so sweet.

She wanted to eat it.

Yun Shu licked her lips and slowly opened her eyes, instantly shocked by the scene before her.

Before her was a girl with disheveled hair and flushed cheeks.

She was wearing a pristine white lace dress, but half of it had been torn away, revealing her fair, delicate shoulders. Yun Shu’s own hands were gripping the girl’s slender, pale wrists, pinning them harshly against the bed, leaving alarming red marks.

The girl had a beautiful face, but her peach blossom eyes were filled with shame and resentment. Her tear-glazed eyes glared fiercely at Yun Shu, her body as tense as iron, as if she loathed whatever was about to happen.

Before Yun Shu could process the situation, a mechanical voice suddenly echoed in her mind: Successfully bound to the Female Lead’s Blackening Prevention System.

Yun Shu: “?”

QAQ

What Female Lead’s Blackening Prevention System?

Hello, Host. You have successfully transmigrated into “Scum A’s Forced Love: Gentle Protagonist, Don’t Even Think of Escaping.” The Time-Space Bureau has determined that the novel’s rushed ending caused the female lead to completely blacken, leading to the world’s collapse. To repair the world and prevent the female lead’s blackening, you must lower her Blackening Value while remaining Out of Character.

Current Blackening Value of the Female Lead: 80%

At this point, Yun Shu finally realized what was happening.

She had transmigrated into that poorly written novel she had read just a few days ago!

The novel’s Scum A was also named Yun Shu. Relying on her family’s wealth, she had set her sights on Xie Tang, a college student working at a bar to pay for her grandmother’s medical bills.

Initially, Yun Shu approached Xie Tang with feigned gentleness. When Xie Tang rejected her advances, Yun Shu deliberately had someone inject a drug to worsen the grandmother’s condition, leaving Xie Tang with overwhelming medical expenses.

It was then that the Scum A appeared, falsely claiming, “I’m willing to help you, but in exchange, you must stay by my side.”

With those words, she produced a pre-prepared contract.

The contract stipulated that Xie Tang must remain in this house, obey Yun Shu’s every command, and do whatever Yun Shu ordered. The contract also contained hidden clauses: any violation of its terms would result in Xie Tang owing an astronomical penalty.

Xie Tang was an exceptionally intelligent woman, a finance student at Capital University. Yet she found herself with no other options. Her grandmother’s condition was worsening daily, and she desperately needed the money.

So she agreed to the Scum A’s demands.

After that, she was forced to withdraw from school and confined to the villa, an anklet around her ankle like a beautiful, snow-white pet dog, waiting in the dimly lit room for the Scum A’s “favor.”

At first, the Scum A merely made her kneel, slowly breaking her down, forcing her to say degrading words while blindfolded.

The sight of the once proud and aloof Capital University student kneeling before her, those pale lips uttering such seductive phrases, filled the Scum A with perverse satisfaction.

She even forbade Yun Shu from wearing normal clothes in the villa, stripping her of all human dignity.

Then one night, the Scum A returned drunk, reeking of another Omega’s pheromones. That night, she finally lost control and forcibly marked Xie Tang, nearly killing her in the process.

After that, Scum A’s career took a nosedive. She came home every day and beat Xie Tang. Xie Tang, being a proud and stubborn person at heart, refused to submit meekly. During their most intense conflicts, Scum A broke both of Xie Tang’s legs, imprisoning her completely. She forced Xie Tang to exist solely within the haze of her pheromones, leaving her with no awareness of anything else.

For her grandmother’s sake, Xie Tang endured again and again. But she never knew that her grandmother had actually died of heart disease long ago.

The scenes of her grandmother chatting with her were all AI-generated.

After learning the truth, Xie Tang went mad. She murdered Scum A, nearly severing her head completely.

Covered in bl00d, Xie Tang pushed her wheelchair to the rooftop, tossed Scum A’s severed head into the bushes below, and then slit her own wrists, taking her own life.

And then the book ended.

Ended.

The comment section erupted into a bloody frenzy. Even someone as mild-tempered as Yun Shu was infuriated by this brain-dead ending.

Before her college entrance exams, Yun Shu had been too busy working and studying to even know novels existed.

This was the first novel she had ever read, and Yun Shu felt like she was about to be launched into orbit by sheer rage.

Furious, she stayed up all night writing a scathing review, cursing the Scum A between sobs—she felt Xie Tang deserved so much better.

In the novel, Xie Tang’s family background was tragically bleak. Despite her hardships, she remained gentle yet resilient, never giving up no matter the obstacles.

As a baby, she had been abandoned in a trash can simply for being a girl, nearly freezing to death in the dead of winter.

An elderly scavenger, Xie Juan, found her while rummaging through the trash for food. Xie Juan became Xie Tang’s grandmother.

Though barely able to feed herself, the old woman painstakingly raised Xie Tang. The girl, determined to repay her grandmother’s sacrifices, excelled through self-study and earned a tuition-free scholarship. By day, she attended school; by night, she worked to support her grandmother.

On the very day Xie Tang was accepted into university, her grandmother suffered a sudden stroke, leaving her paralyzed and bedridden. Doctors also discovered a severe heart condition.

After only a few hours of despair, Xie Tang began strategizing her next steps.

She quickly found a job as a bar saleswoman, believing she had found a lifeline. Little did she know, this marked the beginning of her misfortunes—the prelude to her encounter with a devil.

Why did such a gentle, hardworking, and ambitious girl deserve such a cruel fate?

Yun Shu wept through the entire night, her heart aching for Xie Tang.

She refused to accept this ending.

Yun Shu had just finished the grueling college entrance exams and was working tirelessly to save up for university expenses. She could only sleep five hours a night before getting up to work, leaving her severely sleep-deprived.

After crying for a long time, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her heart and lost consciousness.

When she woke up again, she was in her current situation.

Yun Shu stared blankly for a few seconds before mentally asking the System, “Am I dead?”

The System replied: Yes, Host. Your original body has died from overwork. If you can reduce the female lead’s Blackening Value to zero, you will regain a chance at resurrection.

Hearing this, a complex emotion flickered in Yun Shu’s eyes. “Can I resurrect anywhere?”

Yes.

The System warned: The current plot involves the Scum A’s Heat Period, where she will attempt to forcibly mark the female lead. Host, you must not act Out of Character.

Yun Shu: “……”

Yun Shu’s delicate brows furrowed slightly. “I have a question.”

Please proceed.

“You’re telling me to reduce her Blackening Value while also forbidding me from acting Out of Character. Aren’t those contradictory?”

The System immediately provided an explanation: No, the Out of Character restriction is only to ensure the plot progresses smoothly as planned. Due to the unpredictable nature of the characters in this world, we cannot anticipate what might happen if you deviate from your original persona.

This is our last chance in this world.

Yun Shu felt a pang of confusion. What did it mean by “last chance”?

The System warned: Host, we wish you all the best. Remember, do not go Out of Character. Our investigation shows Xie Tang’s Blackening Value and danger level are extremely high. If you deviate from your original persona and she realizes you’re not the Scum A herself, it could lead to mission failure, Xie Tang’s complete corruption, and you…

The System trailed off, but Yun Shu understood the implication.

Xie Tang already hated the Scum A. If she discovered Yun Shu wasn’t the original host, she would almost certainly seek revenge.

Though Yun Shu didn’t quite believe Xie Tang was capable of such malice, her immediate priority was to lower Xie Tang’s Blackening Value.

Such a wonderful girl shouldn’t be confined to this tiny cage.

If no one else would help her, Yun Shu was willing to be the one to do so.

Even if the consequence was Xie Tang’s hatred.

The air hung thick with the mingled scents of peach and mugwort, their fragrance intensified.

Yun Shu felt an unbearable itch in her teeth, a primal urge to bite down on something.

She had only read this one novel, which described this as a symptom of an Alpha’s impending Heat Period. Yun Shu hadn’t realized it would be so overwhelming.

She licked her sharp canines, her gaze drawn to Xie Tang’s pristine white nape. The primal instinct in her mind now threatened to seize control, leaving her with a single, overwhelming thought: Mark her.

Mark her. Crush her.

Inject your pheromones deep into her glands, making her forever dependent on you. Make her lose all restraint at the mere scent of your pheromones.

The corners of Xie Tang’s eyes flushed red. Despite her desperate attempts to control her breathing, her chest continued to heave violently.

She had long anticipated this day, yet when it finally arrived, she was consumed by both fear and hatred.

She noticed the repulsive Alpha slowly lower her head, her soft lips brushing lightly against Xie Tang’s nape.

Xie Tang clenched her fists.

She hated this.

Hated being suppressed by pheromones, hated being forced to submit to this disgusting creature’s Forced Marking.

She was utterly helpless.

Yet the anticipated pain never came.

Yun Shu’s forehead was drenched in sweat. Heaven only knew the sheer willpower it took for her to resist biting down and completing the marking.

Host! You must mark her! Otherwise, you’ll be going Out of Character! the System warned.

Yun Shu understood the System’s meaning. How could the original owner, with her insatiable desires, possibly let such a prize slip through her fingers?

Since this marking was inevitable, then…

Yun Shu gritted her teeth.

She lowered her gaze to meet Xie Tang’s eyes, then brushed a strand of straight black hair behind her ear. Despite her terror, she forced a light hum, striving to make her voice sound cold and ruthless. “Why are you just lying there?”

Xie Tang frowned slightly, meeting her gaze, momentarily unable to decipher Yun Shu’s intentions.

Could she be planning…?

Xie Tang’s face drained of color.

Simultaneously, the System’s warning blared in Yun Shu’s mind: Host! Xie Tang’s Blackening Value is rising! It’s currently at 81%!

Yun Shu struggled to maintain her composure, her mind racing to find a solution.

Releasing her grip, Yun Shu turned her head, exposing her pale, vulnerable scent gland. “This young lady prefers OA relationships.”

Xie Tang froze, completely bewildered by Yun Shu’s bizarre behavior.

The Yun Shu she knew had never shown such tendencies before.

Struggling to suppress her trembling, Yun Shu saw Xie Tang’s lack of reaction and decided to escalate her provocation. “Don’t you know how to mark me? Idiot!” she spat, closing her eyes and clenching her fists tightly, desperately trying to hide her fear from Xie Tang.

The System was utterly stunned by her actions.

What Alpha would ever ask an Omega to mark them?

And “idiot”? What kind of insult is that?!

But… somehow, this doesn’t seem entirely Out of Character.

Xie Tang’s hands went limp under the oppressive weight of Yun Shu’s pheromones.

The sound of Yun Shu’s deliberately high-pitched voice made her nauseous.

This woman, who usually spits out the most degrading insults without hesitation, what is she doing now?

Pretending to be innocent?

Xie Tang’s icy gaze swept across Yun Shu’s snow-white, vulnerable neck, and she felt an overwhelming urge to tear her apart.

But now was not the time.

Though Xie Tang had no idea what Yun Shu was up to this time, she had no choice but to play along.

She opened her mouth and bit down hard on the Alpha’s scent gland.

In that instant, Yun Shu’s eyes snapped open.

So painful.

So painful.

This is what it feels like to have Omega pheromones injected into your body…

“It hurts…”

Yun Shu, who dreaded pain more than anything, completely abandoned her pretense. Her eyes instantly misted over, and her voice turned soft and weak.

She instinctively tried to resist, but Xie Tang grabbed her wrist and pinned her firmly to the bed.

Bl00d still stained the corner of Xie Tang’s lips, her gaze icy. “You like OA relationships, don’t you?”

“Then endure it.”

The next moment, sharp teeth pierced Yun Shu’s scent gland again, forcefully injecting peach-scented Omega pheromones into her system.

Yun Shu, who had already been struggling to endure, let out a short, pained gasp. Her vision blurred, and she fainted.