Transmigrating into a Wasteland Cannon Fodder Slag A [GL Yuri] - Chapter 5

“Why don’t we just kill him?” Gu Xia suggested.

Yan An froze, then let out a small, amused smile. “You already have a knife, don’t you?”

In the apocalypse, people’s hearts hardened fast. Saintly leads either became zombies or were torn to pieces, with nothing left but scraps.

Gu Xia hesitated and drew the fruit knife. The blade glinted coldly; with a single motion she could slit the man’s throat.

But neither of them had actually killed anyone before.

Yan An had only ever killed wolves and boars. To pull the final trigger on a person, especially one who couldn’t fight back was something else entirely. Old moral restraints didn’t vanish overnight; both of them had been raised under a rule-bound society. Now that order had collapsed, letting go of those bindings would still cost something.

They weren’t monsters like Chen Hao; they weren’t cruel for cruelty’s sake.

Gu Xia didn’t move. “Just knock him out again.”

“All right. Make sure he stays out longer this time.”

Not killing him was mercy enough don’t expect them to be gentle.

Yan An approved of Gu Xia’s choice. If Gu Xia had killed him without hesitation, Yan An would have grown wary of partnering with her.

Sure, the burly man wasn’t innocent. But for two people who had never killed before, decisive violence was a terrifying sign.

Yan An felt a chill brush her neck. If Gu Xia awakened and showed no hesitation, Yan An wouldn’t last a day.

Everything since Yan An woke into this body had been testing, each probing glance and small betrayal a way to size the other up. Only when their tests produced the outcomes each wanted could their cooperation solidify.

Neither of them were saints or pure villains; each had plans to survive.

Yan An flipped the bed again, slammed another palm across the man’s back until he blacked out, then reset the frame. From the way she toiled, any onlooker might think Gu Xia had to owe her one.

When Yan An finished, Gu Xia finally asked, “Do you have a plan?”

“Yes.” Yan An didn’t hide it. Her scheme required Gu Xia’s cooperation.

“At eight, I’ll carry you into Chen Hao’s room. Then I’ll move to the monitoring room as fast as I can. By eight-oh-five at the latest, the alarm will sound. I’ll trigger the whole compound’s alarm to draw the zombies and manipulate the main gate to open.”

Zombies keyed to sound would rush the factory early, leaving Chen Hao no time to seize them both.

“And you,” she continued, “after Chen Hao leaves, you grab a pack and fill it with supplies, then go back to the room to wait. We’ll meet on the third floor; once most of the zombies have entered the grounds, we go down from the third floor and escape.”

Simple. Fifteen minutes max, she estimated.

Gu Xia, however, saw many holes. “First: can you take on the three people in the monitoring room by yourself? Even if you can, what if you run into Chen Hao? He’s an F-rank. He is more than you can handle.”

She did have some strength, but fighting an awakened was still a different level.

“Second: the zombies aren’t numerous enough yet. They might not breach the compound soon; if Chen Hao catches us, we’re done.”

“Third: aren’t you afraid I’d betray you? Or just run off on my own?”

Yan An had anticipated those three objections.

“Relax. Two of the three in the monitoring room are female Betas, and the other is a male Alpha. I only need to deal with the male. Omegas and female Betas suffer under Chen Hao; the two Betas in the monitoring room help him bully others. They’re his minions. So when I take the man down, they’ll likely hit the alarm. The three aren’t innocent.”

Yan An would act fast and brutal, with no qualms. “As for Chen Hao, if by eight-thirty I haven’t shown up, you walk.”

She said it easily; Gu Xia didn’t even consider that choice. She knew she couldn’t make it far alone. She might not even make it out of the compound before the zombies found her.

“There are innocent people in the compound,” Gu Xia said, still carrying that heroine streak of kindness, whatever its depth.

“Even if we don’t trigger the alarm, the zombies will still come. The compound gate can hold off a dozen, not hundreds or thousands.” Yan An’s tone cooled. “The alarm will make some people more cautious, and add another layer of defense.”

She’d already thought through the consequences. She wasn’t foolish enough to simply lure the horde in for fun. Facing one Chen Hao was easier than facing a tide of undead.

Since the dead tide would arrive regardless, using them as a diversion was the smartest move.

Gu Xia hesitated. “You sound so sure the zombies will break through the factory.”

“Didn’t you see it yourself?”

The two of them traded words like thrust and parry.

The truth was, Gu Xia knew no plan was foolproof. What gnawed at her was the fear that, if something went wrong, she would die here.

She hadn’t yet confirmed whether her family was alive whether they’d managed to escape, or were hiding somewhere waiting for her.

She still had people to think about. More than Yan An, she wanted to leave this compound alive. But with her cautious nature, she couldn’t help but think: careful, and then more careful.

Yan An caught sight of the furrow in Gu Xia’s brow. She knew their plan was far from perfect.

After a pause, she said lightly, “Don’t worry. If we can’t get out, I’ll definitely die before you do.”

The words struck something deep in Gu Xia.

What she meant, of course, was that if she and Chen Hao came face-to-face, and she lost, she’d be the first to go.

But Yan An had her own plan.

How could she possibly tell Gu Xia everything? They weren’t close enough yet to share everything in their hearts.

Time slipped by. Soon it was past seven.

Yan An stood by the window, watching the gathering horde outside.

The zombies moved slowly, but steadily. More and more were drawn in.

Her healed eyesight picked out the swarm in the distance, an endless field of heads bobbing in the dim light.

When they were all packed together, that would be the moment the factory fell.

Inside wasn’t peaceful either. None of the scavenging teams sent out had come back.

Chen Hao’s mood was foul, and everyone kept their distance.

Xiao Qiang, worried for his rough-edged brother, wanted to complain but didn’t dare. He was left pacing in anxious silence.

Only he knew the man had gone to avenge him by dealing with Yan An.

At last, Xiao Qiang screwed up his courage and came himself. This time, he’d learned his lesson—he actually knocked.

Gu Xia glanced at Yan An, mouthing silently, Should we open it?

At Yan An’s nod, she went over and unlatched the door.

Seeing Xiao Qiang standing there, both women froze.

He looked at Gu Xia first, noted she was still awake, then shot Yan An a gloating look.

The message was plain: it was almost eight, and Gu Xia hadn’t “gone under” yet. Even if he didn’t stir trouble, Chen Hao would.

His gaze swept the room next, and finding no trace of his brother, his brows shot up.

His eyes slid to the window. Could it be… had they thrown him out?

The thought drained the color from his face.

Yan An tilted her head in confusion. What was wrong with this guy? Knocked on the door, said nothing, gave the place a once-over, and suddenly looked like he’d seen a ghost.

Ghosts?

In a zombie world? That was the wrong genre. Ghosts belonged in a hopping-vampire tale.

“What are you looking for?” Yan An’s face hardened as she stepped in front of Gu Xia.

“I… I…” Xiao Qiang stammered, scrambling for an answer.

His body still ached from earlier, and with no sign of his brother, he puffed himself up. “The boss says you’d better move faster and quit stalling.”

The words no sooner left his mouth than he tried to bolt, terrified Yan An might lay hands on him.

But she was ready. A hammer seemed to appear from nowhere in her grip, and she swung it low.

With a dull crack, Xiao Qiang’s leg buckled, dropping him to his knees.

Yan An chuckled, sauntering closer. “Running? What, you think I’ll toss you out and let the zombies have you?”

Already haunted by the image of his brother being thrown out, Xiao Qiang nearly fainted at her words.

“Sister An, I was wrong! I shouldn’t have messed with you. Please, please let me go!”

He knelt there sniveling, a pathetic wreck compared to his swaggering daylight self.

Cowardice suited him well.

So, bully her in the day, and beg at night?

Yan An’s lips curved in a cold smile. “You said the boss sent you to hurry me? Isn’t he out there furious right now? You want me to walk right into that storm?”

“N-no, no!” Xiao Qiang babbled, plastering on a fawning grin. “Sister An, I…”

Her sharp kick cut him off. “Get lost.”

“Yes, yes, I’m going!” He scrambled away, tripping over himself in his rush.

She didn’t miss the flash of resentment in his eyes. If she was right, he’d definitely go running to Chen Hao, no matter the risk.

Which was just about perfect.

She turned back into the room. “Any other questions about the plan?”

“Aren’t you worried he’ll go complain to Chen Hao?”

Xiao Qiang was one of Chen Hao’s most sycophantic lackeys.

Yan An rifled through a cabinet, pulling a coil of rope from her space and half-hiding the motion, before answering coolly, “That’s exactly what I want him to do.”

She chose a sturdy anchor and tied the rope off with a climber’s knot.

Watching her, Gu Xia grew more certain this woman wasn’t simple. “Why? You’ve played weak for so long. If Chen Hao learns what you’re really capable of, he won’t be so easy to kill.”

Yan An laughed softly. “So tell me,who do you think he’ll believe? Xiao Qiang, or the woman who let him put his girlfriend in my bed?”

Gu Xia had no answer.

Yan An’s smile deepened. “Even if it’s only five minutes, I can’t let him really touch you, can I?”

“That little rat will help us buy time.”

Gu Xia hadn’t expected that to be her reasoning, just to keep Chen Hao from taking advantage of her?

But back at the school, Yan An had risked herself over and over, blocking zombies with her own body. That didn’t match her meek façade either. The “good-natured, attentive” act was clearly just that…an act.

Her feelings twisted with confusion.

Then Yan An stepped up, grin playful. “Sister Gu Xia, hug~”