Chapter 4: The Original Female Lead Who Delivers Supplies in an Apocalypse Novel (3)

“When the original host died, she had actually felt a bit relieved—at least she wouldn’t have to suffer anymore. But after seeing what happened next, her resentment surged. And because, in Xuanyuan Chengze’s previous life, she had saved many people and accumulated considerable merit, it attracted a task executor.”

“The original host’s wish was simple—just one word: revenge.“

“As for how that revenge should be carried out, she didn’t specify. She left it entirely up to the executor.“

About ten minutes later, after listening to the system, Ji Qinghe finally understood Xuanyuan Chengze’s strange attitude earlier.

Ji Qinghe glanced at the world mission again: fulfill true love, and recover the rogue trading system.

With a plan in mind, she waved her hand to dismiss the system panel, opened the door, and walked out.

This was a self-built two-story courtyard house. The walls were covered in white tiles, and the ground was paved with cement. Small groups of people sat scattered across the steps and yard, discussing Ding Taoran being beaten earlier. The moment they saw Ji Qinghe come out, they all fell silent.

Two young men glared at her resentfully, as if she had committed some unforgivable crime.

Ji Qinghe didn’t care. They were just Ding Taoran’s admirers—let them glare. It’s not like she’d lose a piece of flesh over it.

The others didn’t openly hate her, but their expressions weren’t exactly friendly.

A woman holding her grandson muttered sarcastically to someone beside her, “Heaven really must be blind, letting someone so jealous and cruel awaken an ability. Got a little power and already acts like a tyrant—look how badly she beat that poor girl. Truly pitiful.”

The woman next to her quietly warned, “Aunt Zhao, stop talking. She even dared to hit Chen Yan. You’ve criticized her plenty before—don’t let her remember and come after you.”

Ji Qinghe turned her head, recalling that this Aunt Zhao had been rescued from a village a month ago. She was the type who couldn’t do anything useful but could eat endlessly—loud, unreasonable, and hard to deal with. After Ding Taoran figured out her personality, she won her over with food. Every time Ding Taoran acted pitiful in front of the original host’s boyfriend, and the original host got angry, this old woman would jump in to mock her.

[Heh, looks like it’s time to vent some anger on behalf of the original host.]

With that thought, Ji Qinghe rolled up her sleeves, ready to throw hands.

Aunt Zhao had been about to say something, but seeing Ji Qinghe’s posture, she immediately shut up and lowered her head to coax her grandson.

Ji Qinghe, fists already clenched: “…”

“Hey, Auntie, why’d you go quiet? Keep talking.”

Aunt Zhao didn’t dare say another word. She hugged her grandson and turned away, even shrinking behind her companion.

With no fight to be had, Ji Qinghe reluctantly lowered her hands.

Figures—people everywhere bully the weak and fear the strong. Even someone as fierce as Aunt Zhao only dared whisper a few complaints after hearing Ji Qinghe had beaten Ding Taoran. She didn’t even dare meet her eyes.

[As expected, only the wicked can deal with the wicked.]

[…Wait, that sounded like she was calling herself a villain.]

Ji Qinghe shook her head. She wasn’t the villain anymore—better not slip into that mindset.

Walking into the main house, she saw that the door to a bedroom on the left side of the first floor was open. Two people stood at the entrance, peeking inside—Chen Yan with red hair, and Bai Quan with green hair.

The abilities in this apocalyptic world were quite peculiar. Once someone awakened an ability, their hair color would change accordingly. For example, Chen Yan awakened a fire ability, so his hair turned red. Bai Quan awakened a wood ability, so his hair turned green.

There were also users with metal and wind abilities in the team—their hair had turned gold and gray, respectively.

Abilities outside the five elements, like lightning and ice, resulted in blue and snow-white hair.

Xuanyuan Chengze, relying on the trading system cheat, had awakened a lightning ability—no wonder he had blue hair.

Of course, some abilities didn’t change hair color, such as speed, strength, poison, invisibility, clairvoyance, enhanced hearing, healing, mental powers, spatial abilities, and beast transformation.

Beast transformation abilities were further divided into categories. For instance, if someone transformed into a gecko, they could climb walls. If into a cat, their body becomes lighter with enhanced jumping ability. Spider transformations could produce silk like Spider-Man, allowing movement across surfaces. Others had stronger combat forms, like leopards, lions, or tigers.

However, each person could only awaken one beast form, and it depended entirely on luck—you couldn’t choose what you became.

Beast transformation users were extremely rare. Only two cases had been discovered three months into the apocalypse. Ji Qinghe had arrived at the two-month mark, so people were still unaware of such abilities.

As Ji Qinghe was sorting through this information, Xuanyuan Chengze’s voice came from inside the room:

“Doctor He, how is Xiaoran?”

“There’s some bleeding in the lungs, but it’s not too serious. Xiaoran has a healing ability—recovery won’t be difficult.”

Chen Yan rushed into the room from the doorway, his fingers cracking loudly as he clenched them.

“Xuanyuan Chengze, it’s lucky Xiaoran is fine. Otherwise, I wouldn’t let you off. Your girlfriend is so jealous and ruthless—who knows what kind of dangerous ability she’s awakened? Are you really going to keep her in the team?”

“Stay out of it. I’ll handle this,” Xuanyuan Chengze replied impatiently. Things had slipped out of his control, which already irritated him, and Chen Yan just wouldn’t shut up.

[I had clearly given Ji Qinghe a suppressant to block her ability to awaken, yet she still awakened one. Something is off. Could there be a problem with the suppressant I traded? I needed to figure this out.]

Seeing how dismissive Xuanyuan Chengze was, Chen Yan’s temper flared.

“What kind of attitude is that? Xiaoran has given you her whole heart, and you’re still defending your girlfriend? You’re asking for a beating.”

As he spoke, his fist swung straight toward Xuanyuan Chengze’s face.

Xuanyuan Chengze was distracted and didn’t react in time. By the time he sensed the punch, he hurriedly dodged, but it still grazed his cheek, leaving a burning pain.

“Are you insane?” he snapped, immediately throwing a punch back.

Chen Yan grew even angrier.

“I’m insane? Why don’t you look at what the hell you’ve been doing?”

Seeing the two start fighting, Doctor He anxiously exclaimed,

“What’s going on? Why are you fighting all of a sudden?”

Bai Quan, the green-haired one who had been standing at the door, hurried inside to break it up—only to be shouted down by both of them at once:

“Stop fighting, guys!”

Left with no choice, Bai Quan retreated to Doctor He’s side, watching helplessly as the two fought.

Xuanyuan Chengze, backed by the trading system, had the strongest ability in the team. Once he got serious, he naturally gained the upper hand. Plus, with Ding Taoran unconscious in the room, neither dared to use abilities, so it became pure hand-to-hand combat.

After about ten moves, Xuanyuan Chengze pinned Chen Yan to the ground.

Amid the commotion, Ding Taoran slowly regained consciousness.

“It hurts… it hurts so much…”

Xuanyuan Chengze ignored Chen Yan, quickly getting up and rushing to the bedside.

“Xiaoran, are you feeling better?”

Chen Yan also got up, his face swollen, and said angrily, “You haven’t even dealt with the person responsible—of course she won’t get better!”

Ding Taoran looked at Xuanyuan Chengze, her voice soft and gentle.

“Brother Xuanyuan… Is what Brother Chen said true?”

Xuanyuan Chengze’s expression darkened. For a moment, he didn’t know how to respond.

“True? Couldn’t be more true. Don’t I look perfectly fine? Seems like your ‘Brother Xuanyuan’ cares more about me. I knocked you flying, and he didn’t even dare say a word.”

At that moment, Ji Qinghe’s mocking voice came from the doorway.

Everyone was startled and turned around at once—only to see Ji Qinghe leaning casually against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching the show unfold.