Transmigrating as a Cannon Fodder in the Apocalypse, Seducing the Mad Female Lead - Chapter 17

When Yanxing returned home, Bai Yanxing was already waiting, leaning against the fireplace. The crackling of burning bark filled the air as wisps of white smoke curled upward through the chimney.

Bai Yanxing’s expression was earnest as she held a worn-out pencil, sketching what she had seen and heard that day.

A Jumping Zombie crouched atop a dilapidated train car, its crimson eyes gleaming with an intelligence that defied words, captured only by the pencil’s strokes.

Bai Yanxing knew Jumping Zombies were slightly more intelligent than others, but today had been a surprise. It was the first time she had been ambushed by one.

They’re getting smarter. In just a few years, the rate at which their numbers are dwindling has slowed dramatically. They’ve even begun to form distinct hierarchies.

I don’t know if humanity can overcome this disaster, but I just want to survive as long as possible and protect those I care about…

Flipping the page, Bai Yanxing continued drawing.

His slender fingers were stained with pencil dust.

Another sketch of Su Tang’s face. The bustling cafeteria, the surprised glances of those around them, her cheeks cupped in her hands, warm lips pressed against the bandage on her cheek.

It felt like a kiss on her very soul and the tip of her heart.

I’m falling for her… It’s shameful, but I genuinely feel my heart race around her. She’s gentler and more cheerful than anyone else I’ve ever met. I’ve never encountered a girl like her before…

Like a rose in full bloom, as radiant as the morning sun, she fills me with hope.

Perhaps… I want to try kissing her lips. Of course, not in front of everyone in the cafeteria.

Bai Yanxing finished writing and looked up to find a pair of eyes as bright and lively as a young deer’s.

“You… when did you get here?”

Bai Yanxing flushed crimson from head to toe, quickly closing her diary, unwilling to let anyone glimpse the secrets of her heart.

“I saw it. You want to kiss me.”

Su Tang removed her holster and placed it on the nearby table. Leaning closer, she thought, It’s been long enough. My relationship with the Female Lead has been slowly developing.

She knew the saying: Strike first, strike hard; hesitate, and you’ll suffer.

Su Tang leaned in, having already shed her heavy down jacket the moment she entered the room and draped it over the sofa.

At that moment, a form-fitting cashmere sweater accentuated her figure.

In the apocalypse, it was rare to find a girl who hadn’t been tormented by human malice or the horrors of zombies.

When she smiled, it was like a soul-stirring flower.

“So, want to try it?”

“We’re not in the cafeteria anymore. You can kiss me as wildly as you want.”

Bai Yanxing’s heart inexplicably began to race. Her eyes widened, finding it hard to believe Su Tang would say such things.

But she had always been far more perceptive about matters of the heart than she was. Otherwise, how could she have so accurately found that book during their supply raid in the building?

Sweet Talk in the Rain…

Was that Su Tang’s subtle confession to him?

“Just try it, and you’ll know if you feel anything for me.”

Su Tang moved like a seasoned hunter, meticulously setting traps to lure the tiger into the pit.

“Okay.”

The moment Bai Yanxing agreed, Su Tang closed her eyes and leaned in for a gentle, tender kiss. Her movements were restrained, despite her provocative words.

In reality…

Su Tang was a blank slate, her lips clumsy and hesitant.

Bai Yanxing tasted a hint of iron, a metallic pudding that was soft, hot, and irresistibly tempting.

“How was it?” Su Tang asked softly, her heart pounding, the corners of her eyes flushed red like a fox spirit descending.

“Hmm…”

Bai Yanxing’s earlobes flushed crimson. Though she didn’t answer, her slightly bashful expression gave Su Tang a clue.

If she had to give it a score, it might already reach 80%. For a first kiss, that was an exceptionally high rating.

“Very good,” Bai Yanxing said. “Your lips taste like the sweet and sour tang of grapes.”

Su Tang blinked in confusion. “But I didn’t eat any grapes.”

Halfway through her sentence, she remembered the novel’s setting. The Female Lead’s favorite fruit was grapes, but after the apocalypse, they had become almost impossible to find.

When the Female Lead learned this, she took her to a ruined courtyard, its walls crumbling from the ravages of war and time.

In the courtyard grew a wild grapevine, twisting around withered trees and climbing freely, covering the entire wall.

Clusters of translucent, bird-pecked grapes hung from the vine.

This discovery was the final act that completely won the Female Lead’s heart. However, the aftermath was far from ideal. The Female Lead distributed all the grapes to others, leaving only a handful for the Female Lead.

When Su Tang reached this part of the story, a suffocating anger welled up inside her, yet she couldn’t vent it.

While the Female Lead had indeed found the grapes, she had first shown them to the Female Lead to gain her favor, then distributed the rest to win over the others.

In the end, she left only a couple of clusters—the leftovers—for the Female Lead. It was such a calculated manipulation.

Many authors fall into this trap: even the strongest female leads seem to suffer a congenital drop in intelligence when they meet the female lead.

As a result, even after the Female Lead established a base later in the novel, most of its members still followed the Female Lead’s orders, reducing her to little more than a tool.

Su Tang admitted to being selfish—capable of unparalleled selfishness for the sake of her loved ones.

If she had discovered those grapes, she would have picked the largest, sweetest ones first.

Then she would have distributed the rest, mainly because one person couldn’t possibly eat them all.

After all, it was the Apocalypse. Why bother caring for others when you could enjoy the bounty yourself?

After eating their share, those people would wipe their mouths and betray the Female Lead for a scrap of food.

So, the female lead’s description of the grapes’ sour and astringent taste meant she had tasted her favorite fruit?

If Su Tang hadn’t known the original plot, she would have found this utterly baffling. But alas, she was the Chosen One, so she understood immediately.

Lowering her gaze, she saw Bai Yanxing’s pink-tinged nose. Su Tang reached out and gently pressed her fingertip against it.

“Grapes aren’t just sour; they’re also very sweet.”

“So… you’re smitten?”

Bai Yanxing didn’t deny it, nodding slightly as she wrapped her arm around Su Tang’s waist.

“Su Tang, we can try being together, but…”

“In the Apocalypse, we could die at any moment. I can’t make you any promises.”

Bai Yanxing’s fingers tightened slightly. She was speaking the truth; she didn’t know when misfortune might strike. Making a solemn declaration of love now would make her no different from a heartless woman.

“I know,” Su Tang replied.

“But if anyone’s going to die, shouldn’t it be a newbie like me first?”

Su Tang smiled, her slightly swollen lips unable to conceal her joy.

This feeling of trying to be together wasn’t bad at all. After all, she had already trapped the female lead in her snare. Now, all she needed to do was tighten the noose, little by little, until she had Bai Yanxing completely under her control.

Then, no one would ever be able to take her Yanxing away.