Transmigrating as a Cannon Fodder in the Apocalypse, Seducing the Mad Female Lead - Chapter 28

Though the outside world was crumbling, with peeling concrete and rusted steel bars exposed, the mall seemed merely weathered by rain. Vibrant posters still displayed models in alluring poses, showcasing a glimpse of the old world’s grandeur.

Bai Yanxing directed her team to form a makeshift wall with their pickup trucks, preventing Black Wolf Gang members from being ambushed by zombies like hyenas while scavenging inside.

Gaps between the vehicles were stuffed with burlap sacks filled with wood chips, while a dozen guards stood watch outside, wary of both zombies and Feather City’s people.

After all, in the Apocalypse, human hearts were often far more treacherous than the undead.

Bai Yanxing first sent two scouts in bulletproof vests and helmets to scout ahead. Once they radioed back, confirming only about twenty zombies on the ground floor, Bai Yanxing finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Thank goodness… thank goodness.

The actual zombie count was far lower than she had anticipated.

“Archers, follow me,” Bai Yanxing ordered, grabbing her Black Bow and leading the way down the broken, non-operational escalator.

Su Tang quietly followed Bai Yanxing, having recently practiced archery. However, her arm strength was far weaker than the Female Lead’s, limiting her to a small bow.

Even a traditional bow proved too difficult for Su Tang to draw, so she opted for a compact compound bow. It was undeniable that human technology had revolutionized the future.

The compound bow required significantly less strength and offered vastly improved accuracy.

Su Tang’s equipment was small, refined, and high-quality. Most archers were stuck with crude, homemade bows, unlike her flashy compound bow that stood out conspicuously.

Its red-and-white color scheme, though slightly chipped, only enhanced its mechanical beauty.

“Don’t tense up when drawing the bow,” Bai Yanxing instructed, turning to face her. Tall and commanding, her gaze softened with tenderness as she looked at her lover, a stark contrast to her authoritative demeanor as team leader moments earlier. “When targeting zombies, try to find spots away from glass or shelves. That way, even if you miss, you won’t make any noise.”

“Mm,” Su Tang nodded obediently.

They exchanged a smile.

Bai Yanxing refocused on her task. Traditional bows were notoriously difficult to master, yet she wielded hers with effortless precision, each arrow striking its target as if guided by an auto-aim system.

She could kill a Zombie with a single shot to its central nervous system.

In an instant, three or four Zombies fell to the ground. Clearing the mall took only about half an hour. Some people were assigned to drag the corpses to a designated area for burning.

Leaving the bodies would risk allowing the remaining advanced Zombies to cannibalize them and grow stronger.

This rule had been established by Su Jianyu a few days prior. Although burning the Zombies wasted gasoline and fuel, the newly operational power plant could replenish these resources.

Everyone agreed in principle, but implementing the plan proved somewhat troublesome in practice.

Bai Yanxing began surveying the mall’s first floor, while several others guarded the second-floor entrance, ready to alert the group at the slightest sign of movement.

She stopped in front of a jewelry store, using her deerskin gloves to wipe the dust from the glass display case.

The store’s promotional poster was thick with dust, but Bai Yanxing could still make out the image: a woman kneeling on one knee, placing a ring on the finger of a woman in a wedding dress.

Her father had once told her:

This is a marriage proposal.

Giving a ring signifies a lifelong promise.

At that moment, the glass display cases still held many brightly colored pieces of jewelry. In the Apocalypse, these once highly valuable ornaments were now utterly worthless.

Bai Yanxing hesitated for a moment, then braced one hand against the counter and vaulted over it. The glass was bulletproof, far too sturdy for her to break easily.

It wasn’t nearly as simple as in movies or TV shows.

The cases were locked, but the locks were already rusted.

“Give me the axe,” Bai Yanxing said to her companion, who was searching alongside him.

“Captain, what do you need this silver for?” the woman asked, holding her gun, puzzled. “These days, silver isn’t even worth a single steamed bun.”

Gold and silver might still have some decorative value for those trapped in the Shelter, unable to venture outside. But for women like them, who risked their lives daily, such trinkets were utterly useless. After all, they might not even see tomorrow’s sunrise.

“Stop with the nonsense and give me the axe,” Bai Yanxing snapped, her tone sharp. The woman reluctantly unclipped the fire axe from her waist. The red axe flashed like a meteor as Bai Yanxing swung it down, shattering the rusted lock in a single blow.

He had already picked out a ring.

Tiny pink diamonds were embedded in the delicate, cold metal, the platinum polished to a brilliant shine. Even after four years of neglect, it retained its metallic luster.

The pink diamonds were arranged in the shape of cat paws, so that when worn, it would look like two plump little paws were embracing the finger.

Bai Yanxing removed her deerskin gloves and tried it on herself.

Her fingers were slightly larger and longer than Su Tang’s, making the ring feel a bit snug.

But this only pleased Bai Yanxing more.

If it was a little tight on her, it would fit Su Tang perfectly. She rummaged for another ring box.

Satisfied, Bai Yanxing tucked the ring into the box. Though she knew taking the item without permission was wrong, her selfish desire to make someone happy overrode her better judgment.

She slipped the ring box into the hidden pocket of her coat before resuming her search on the mall’s first floor.

Su Tang wasn’t with Bai Yanxing, not because she’d lost her fondness for clinging to the Female Lead, but because she had a task of her own to complete.

According to the novel’s plot, this mall contained a DVD store where the Female Lead had once gathered a collection of romance movies for the Female Lead. He’d even grabbed a DVD player while she was at it.

When Su Tang read the original plot, she hadn’t particularly enjoyed the romance scenes. She’d always seen the Female Lead as a complete freeloader. Still, she had to admit, her tactics were undeniably effective.

The only problem was, she had no idea where this DVD store was located.

Su Tang searched everywhere, but unfortunately, her memory of the novel’s details was hazy at best. She couldn’t recall everything perfectly.

But as luck would have it, persistence paid off.

She finally found it: the DVD store hidden in a corner of the mall, small and filled with a retro atmosphere.

If this were the real world instead of a novel setting, a shop like this would probably only attract niche enthusiasts.

Its chances of going out of business would be 99%.

Su Tang immediately approached, clutching her compound bow tightly. If any zombie dared to get close, she’d put an arrow through its head.

Fortunately, the zombies on the mall’s first floor had already been cleared out.

Su Tang didn’t see a single one.

She finally let out a sigh of relief and began searching for DVDs, while also pondering what kind of film she should show the Female Lead.

Definitely not a romance.

A horror movie?

Or perhaps… Su Tang’s eyes darted to a particular shelf, and her breath caught in her throat. She gasped, because she had spotted the perfect DVD!

This was it.