After Transmigrating as the Scumbag Alpha in an Otherworld Novel, I Ended Up with the Villain - Chapter 19

Xiang Tiange understood the implication and replied, “When the disaster struck, the shooting team happened to be away for a competition, so they weren’t here. They probably didn’t leave behind any equipment for practice, either.”

As they spoke, the group crossed the dark, restless lake and arrived in front of the ivory-white two-story building.

Xiang Tiange pulled out a ring of keys, opened the main door, and said to the group, “Go in first.”

The group obeyed and entered, only to find themselves in a small, sealed cubicle with another unopened door inside. As more people crowded into the narrow space, the air grew stale, and breathing became a bit labored in the dim light.

Zhang Tian remarked, “This place of yours is truly airtight.”

Counting heads, Xiang Tiange replied, “What do you expect? In this world, you have to guard against zombies and humans alike.”

Ye Hai asked curiously, “How do you have the keys to a place like this?”

Wang Qingyue stepped inside the main door and explained, “My family used to be in this trade. There’s no shortage of tools in here, so we replaced all of these ourselves later on.”

Ye Hai offered his sincere admiration. “Impressive. Not many people nowadays have managed to learn their family’s craft.”

Xiang Tiange was the last to enter. She first secured the outermost door, then stepped inside to open an inner iron door. The moment it swung open, the air began to circulate freely.

She led the group forward through a deep passage. When she lit a candle at the far end, the area suddenly opened up.

To the left were rows upon rows of tightly packed shelves. To the right were three rows of shelves with wide, orderly aisles between them, stocked with various miscellaneous daily necessities.

Ye Hai marveled, “Not bad. You’ve essentially turned a supermarket into your base of operations?”

Wang Qingyue walked to the innermost shelf on the right and explained, “It looks like a lot of space and goods, but in reality, most of the useful items were taken by those who tried to leave for the outside. Much of what’s left is unusable.”

Zhang Tian asked, “Why didn’t you leave to find a settlement like the others did?”

Wang Qingyue replied helplessly, “Those people never came back. Who knows if it’s even more dangerous out there? This place is safe for now. If it weren’t for needing supplies, we might never go anywhere else. And if it weren’t for that gang, staying here wouldn’t be bad at all.”

Passing through the rows of shelves, Xiang Tiange reached the innermost area and exchanged a glance with Wang Qingyue. She then said to the group, “I’m going upstairs to check on our teacher. You all wait here for a moment.”

Xiang Tiange went up to the second floor, which had a similar layout to the first, including an iron door. She tapped twice on the left wall, retrieved a key hidden in a crevice, restored the wall to its original state, opened the door, and then locked it behind her.

Although she didn’t think her cousin was the type of fool who would just blurt out her information to anyone, she still had to remain cautious. She couldn’t be entirely without defenses.

Xiang Tiange crossed the hall to the end of the second floor and opened the innermost room. She lit a candle at the entrance and stepped inside. This had originally been the campus health station, now converted into a small studio apartment.

The person on the bed stirred, her beautiful eyebrows twitching. Her pale complexion took on a healthier hue under the candlelight.

Chen Rusheng felt the light and struggled to open her eyes. Seeing someone enter, she inquired, “Was something delayed today? Or did that gang return?”

Xiang Tiange walked to a table piled with clutter and shook her head. “That gang didn’t come today. A different group arrived. They said my cousin is looking for me and wants to take me to their base. By the way, there are several people among them who are about as powerful as you, Teacher.”

Chen Rusheng felt relieved and asked, “Then when do you plan to leave with them?”

Xiang Tiange shook her head as she looked for supplies. “If we leave, we leave together once you’re better. I won’t go alone.”

“What, you won’t listen to me just because I’m sick?” Chen Rusheng struggled to sit up, her tone turning stern. “What if that group comes back? I’m injured like this; I have no way of driving them away again.”

Xiang Tiange found what she was looking for and hurried to the bedside. “It’s not that I’m not listening. It’s just that the people who came today said they would help us deal with those bastards. Just focus on recovering, Teacher.”

Chen Rusheng fell back onto the bed, weak. “Then treat them well. Don’t use your usual petty ways. We are the hosts, after all…”

Her voice trailed off and vanished as she fell into a deep sleep.

Xiang Tiange didn’t panic; she only sighed. They had been very worried the first few times this happened, but eventually realized that the teacher was truly just falling asleep. They had calmed down since then, though they didn’t know when this condition would improve.

Practiced in the routine, Xiang Tiange changed the bandages on the sleeping woman, carefully cleaned the wounds with cotton swabs, and applied fresh bandages. When finished, she moistened the woman’s lips with water before stepping out of the room.

On the first floor, Zhang Tian rested a hand on a shelf and asked, “What’s upstairs?”

Wang Qingyue replied, “Our teacher is recovering up there. It’s not convenient for so many people to disturb her right now.”

Ye Hai set down the items he was holding and nodded. “We’re just resting. Upstairs or downstairs, it’s all the same. Only… if your teacher is an Awakened, why didn’t she clear out the dormitory area before?”

Wang Qingyue shook her head. “Having a place to stay is already lucky. Besides, our teacher doesn’t like taking risks…”

Zhang Tian looked around hesitantly. “So where are we sleeping? Surely not on the floor?”

Wang Qingyue smiled. “There are some bedsheets and duvet covers left in the supermarket, so you don’t have to sleep on the bare floor. You can use them to make a simple bed or to keep the chill off.”

Ye Hai took over the conversation. “Then we’ll have to trouble you.”

Wang Qingyue nodded, lit another candle, and walked to a corner to pull out a pile of bedding. She brought it to the group and said, “This is all that’s left. Everyone will have to make do for tonight.”

Zhang Tian made a joke. “If we can’t go back tomorrow, do we still have to ‘make do’?”

Wang Qingyue: “…” She was just being polite; she hadn’t expected anyone to actually talk back.

Ye Hai walked over, patted Zhang Tian on the shoulder, and said, “Let’s see if we survive tomorrow first.”

With that, he took a set of sheets from Wang Qingyue and walked toward the open space between the second and third rows of shelves. Thinking of the unknown tomorrow, Zhang Tian uncharacteristically remained silent. He took his bedding and sat down next to Ye Hai.

Su Xinge stepped forward. Seeing only three sets of mismatched bedding left in Wang Qingyue’s hands, she asked, “Is this all?”

Wang Qingyue nodded. “Most have been used already. This is it.”

Su Xinge felt several gazes on her. She looked over and saw Su San and the others staring expectantly. It wasn’t hot yet, and the nights were quite chilly, so everyone was hoping to get enough warmth.

Su Xinge took two sets and left one for the remaining people, as there was more than one piece in each set.

Seeing the three Awakened had taken theirs, Su San and the other two scrambled forward as if grabbing a piece of a bedsheet was some great prize. They huddled together outside the third row of shelves, separated from Ye Hai and Zhang Tian. The space at the edge was relatively large, enough for the three of them to squeeze together.

Su Xinge walked over to Lin Yuxuan, handed her a set of bedding, and said, “The two of you should squeeze together tonight; it’ll be warmer.”

Lin Yuxuan took the sheets without a word and began setting them up in the aisle between the first and second rows of shelves.

Su Xinge noticed that the area outside the innermost row—likely where Xiang Tiange and Wang Qingyue slept—was already claimed. She stayed beside Lin Yuxuan and laid her bedding on the floor. Since the space had been modified, there was plenty of room for three people to sleep side-by-side.

Lin Yuxuan stopped her movements and looked at Su Xinge. “Are you squeezing in with us?”

Su Xinge replied without thinking, “Naturally, I’m staying by your side.”

Was she supposed to squeeze in with those burly men? She had never liked being too close to men, and she certainly wasn’t going to be a third wheel over by Wang Qingyue.

Lin Yuxuan simply frowned and stopped talking.

An Le ran between them, pulling at their sleeves, and said happily, “Great! I’m so happy I get to sleep with you both!”

Lin Yuxuan looked down and pinched An Le’s cheek, her smile turning somewhat sinister. “I hope you’re truly happy.”

Su Xinge stared at Lin Yuxuan. She realized Lin Yuxuan was acting a bit strange. Noticing the gaze, Lin Yuxuan looked up at Su Xinge and raised an eyebrow. “What? What are you looking at?”

Su Xinge shook her head and smiled. “Nothing. I just think your smile is very pretty.”

And… she looks exactly like an old lady about to tell a ghost story.

At that moment, Xiang Tiange came downstairs and asked Wang Qingyue, “Is the bedding all handed out?”

Wang Qingyue nodded. “Sheets and covers are out. There are some pillows left, but not enough for everyone.”

Xiang Tiange said, “It’s fine. Let them divide those up themselves.” She turned to the group and said, “The shelves on the left contain expired food. Don’t eat them, or you’ll end up with diarrhea. On the right are less important daily supplies; take what you need. There are a few pillows here in the first row; sort them out yourselves.”

Ye Hai looked up and asked, “Why don’t you throw the expired stuff out? Aren’t you afraid the pile will attract monsters?”

Xiang Tiange explained, “Maybe we can’t use them now, but no one can say for sure what will happen in the future.”

Ye Hai was silenced by the logic.