After Taking Away the Beautiful Supporting Female Lead [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 3

The cold wind whistled mournfully, rustling the withered trees clinging to the steep cliffs.

During the descent, Xu Zhiwei held the girl tightly against her chest. In her embrace, Qiang Wu struggled, her lips moving as if saying something, but her voice was swallowed by the howling gale and heavy rain.

When Xu Zhiwei’s back slammed into the water, the immense impact made her chest tighten violently, causing her grip to loosen instinctively. Huge waves surged high and crashed back down, submerging both their figures.

Qiang Wu fell face-first into the water. Amidst the churning currents, her body struck a submerged rock, and she instantly lost consciousness.

In the chaotic underwater world, all external noise was blocked out. Wrapped in the bone-chilling river water, Xu Zhiwei struggled against the rapid undercurrents to find the mermaid she had just let go of.

Fortunately, she soon spotted Qiang Wu floating quietly in the water. Her long, pale blue hair drifted like silk in the current; her eyes were tightly shut as if she were in a deep slumber.

Enduring the pain racking her body, Xu Zhiwei used the submerged rocks to swim toward her. She reached out, caught those pale, slender hands, and pulled the girl into her arms. The pale blue strands drifted backward as the fallen fairy landed in her embrace.

Xu Zhiwei swam toward the surface with the unconscious Qiang Wu. They had already been carried by the rapids into a calmer stretch of the river.

The surface broke with a sudden splash, sending ripples outward. Xu Zhiwei took a deep breath of fresh air and swam laboriously toward the bank to crawl ashore.

The rain showed no signs of slowing down, stinging as it pelted her skin. Noticing a small crevice in the nearby rock wall, she forced herself up and carried Qiang Wu inside.

The System had told her that the cliffs here were exceptionally steep and the base was surrounded by miasma—a place ordinary cultivators dared not enter. For now, they could rest in peace.

Before she could even lie down to catch her breath, the System’s voice rang out again.

[Host, Host! Your injuries are very serious, and the Supporting Female Lead hitting the rock in the water worsened her condition too. There are abundant spiritual herbs in this area; you should find some to treat your wounds.]

A flicker of guilt crossed Xu Zhiwei’s face. If only she had held Qiang Wu tighter.

She turned to look at the pale, unconscious mermaid. Her gaze drifted toward Qiang Wu’s full, soft-looking lips, and her fingers tightened unconsciously.

Supporting herself with one hand, Xu Zhiwei moved the hand behind Qiang Wu’s waist up to steady her shoulder. After a moment’s hesitation, she slowly leaned in.

In the dim light, the space between them became narrow and intimate.

The System suddenly let out a bashful squeal: [Ahhh! Host! What are you planning to do? Is this something a young, innocent system like me should watch? Do you need to block my vision?]

Xu Zhiwei froze. She suddenly reached out to straighten Qiang Wu’s collar, which had become messy during the struggle. Using her spiritual power to dry the fabric, she even tucked it in thoughtfully. Then, using the last of her energy, she conjured a ball of spiritual fire to float in the air.

System: “…” (Speechless)

Having finished this, Xu Zhiwei stood up with difficulty, the movement inevitably pulling at the wound on her back. She felt her way along the stone wall to find the spiritual herbs the System mentioned.

Under the torrential rain, the path was muddy and slick. Xu Zhiwei had no spare spiritual energy to shield herself, so she climbed the cliff face soaked to the bone, plucking herbs under the System’s guidance.

Rain rolled off her eyelashes, blurring her vision. As she grabbed a clump of herbs and pulled, she didn’t notice that she had also picked a small flower with pale red buds growing underneath.

When she returned to the cave, the firelight cast a warm glow over Qiang Wu’s cheeks.

Xu Zhiwei knelt, looking at Qiang Wu’s blood-stained shoulder. Setting the herbs aside, she carefully propped the mermaid up against her lap. She beckoned the spiritual fire closer and checked the wound on Qiang Wu’s back first; it wasn’t life-threatening. She then reached out to peel away the bloody clothing on her shoulder.

The wound piercing through the shoulder blade had turned pale and slightly flared after being soaked in water, looking quite gruesome.

Xu Zhiwei took the herbs. She intended to find a stone to crush them, but after searching for a while, she realized there wasn’t even a pebble in the cave.

After a moment’s thought, she put the herbs in her mouth and chewed. A strange mixture of bitterness and sweetness filled her mouth. Before applying the paste, she glanced at Qiang Wu, mentally telling herself this was out of necessity and hoping the girl wouldn’t find the process too distasteful.

The unconscious Qiang Wu was exceptionally well-behaved, lacking her sharp claws and fierce gaze. She allowed Xu Zhiwei to move her as needed, only flinching slightly when the cold herbal paste was applied.

Xu Zhiwei sighed softly. If only you were this obedient from the start.

After treating Qiang Wu’s wounds, Xu Zhiwei finally turned to her own. The worst sword wound was on her back. As she turned away from Qiang Wu to strip her clothing, she didn’t see the mermaid’s eyes flutter open for a split second before closing again in a daze.

Unable to see her own back, applying the medicine was difficult. Fortunately, the System was there to direct her on how to pour the herbal juice over the wound.

The System promised her faithfully: [Don’t worry, Host! Everything I had you find are top-tier spiritual herbs. Their healing effects are extraordinary. I guarantee you’ll be as good as new and strong as an ox within two hours…]

“Stop, stop, stop,” Xu Zhiwei interrupted. She frowned, withdrawing her hand from the wound, and chewed a handful of oral herbs to swallow. “Can you disappear for a bit and give me some peace?”

World’s number one sweetheart? More like world’s number one headache.

The System yawned. [Call me if you need anything, Host!]

The world finally fell silent again. Xu Zhiwei put her clothes back on. By the time she finished, a thin layer of sweat had formed on her forehead, mostly from the pain.

Drowsiness gradually washed over her. Leaning against the hard stone wall, Xu Zhiwei felt her eyelids grow heavy. Before they closed, she glanced at Qiang Wu, who was being warmed by the spiritual fire. Seeing nothing unusual, she closed her eyes and drifted off.

Some time later, Xu Zhiwei was woken by a faint whimpering. She opened her dry eyes and instinctively looked toward Qiang Wu. The mermaid’s face was flushed, and her body was curled slightly, as if she were uncomfortably trying to reach out and grab something.

It looked like a fever.

Xu Zhiwei hurried over, but the movement was too sudden, making her head spin. She shook her head to clear her mind and knelt by Qiang Wu’s side. She reached out to touch her forehead, but it felt icy cold.

She froze for a moment, licked her dry lips, and finally realized with a start—she was much hotter than Qiang Wu.