The Beautiful, Strong, and Tragic Female Lead is Mine [Transmigration Into a Novel] - Chapter 63

As Xie Zhitian awoke, the car was driving through a vast and quiet wilderness.

The autumn air was crisp and refreshing, with a few faint wisps of clouds floating across the azure sky. The grass along the road already showed signs of wilting, with green tips turning yellow. They swayed in the biting autumn wind, forming a continuous, wave-like motion.

A light breeze seeped through the cracks in the car window, bringing a refreshing coolness that soothed the senses.

“Tiantian, you’re awake,” Luo Yang said, steering with one hand and glancing at the person beside her. “Go back to sleep, we’re still two or three hours away.”

The two were on their way back to District 14. Just like on their journey here, they had set off early in the morning and were taking turns driving. This time, Xie Zhitian drove first, and Luo Yang took over at noon. As for Xiao Wen, he was still in the “pig cage” in the back of the truck.

Having grown familiar with Luo Yang, Xie Zhitian felt a sense of security whenever she heard her voice. With a reliable companion by her side, she didn’t need to be on high alert all the time.

Xie Zhitian mumbled a reply, and sleepiness crept over her again.

Just as she was about to fall asleep, a sweet voice suddenly sounded in her mind. “Host, long time no see!”

Xie Zhitian woke up with a start and sat upright. It took her two seconds to realize it was the voice of Xiao Yi.

“Tiantian, what’s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?” Luo Yang’s concerned voice came from beside her. Xie Zhitian composed herself. “Yes, I had a nightmare.”

She leaned back against the seat. “I’ll sleep for a little longer.”

Xiao Yi sounded apologetic. “I’m so sorry, did I scare you? QAQ.”

“You didn’t just scare me.” Xie Zhitian’s mouth twitched as she communicated with Xiao Yi mentally. “You came so fast. So fast that I’ve forgotten when I last summoned you.”

Fortunately, she didn’t rely on others and didn’t pin her hopes on this unreliable system. Otherwise, a few lives wouldn’t have been enough.

Xiao Yi whimpered. “But our department has a ten-day annual leave. ‘Involution’ is a violation of regulations, and if I don’t take a good holiday, my leader will have a talk with me.”

Xie Zhitian: …What kind of divine world is this?

She suppressed her envy and asked, “Now that your annual leave is over, will you appear faster if I need you in the future?”

Xiao Yi sounded surprised. “Host, what are you talking about? If annual leave is only taken once, is it still called annual leave? We get six annual leaves a year, and we’re not allowed to work during the holidays. And our department’s vacation time is considered short; in other places…”

“Okay, okay, stop talking.” Xie Zhitian felt that if she listened any longer, her mentality might become unbalanced. She interrupted Xiao Yi. “I know you have many holidays. I won’t complain anymore, okay?”

Xiao Yi: “Hehe, thanks for your understanding, Host. What do you need me for this time? Do you want me to help you find information?”

The last time Xie Zhitian summoned Xiao Yi, she wanted to ask what was wrong with District 7. But now that the District 7 matter was resolved, there was no point in asking again.

Xie Zhitian thought for a moment and asked, “By the way, if I ask you to help me with something, but you can’t find it, will you still charge me?”

Xiao Yi had said before that it could only help her with one inexpensive question at a time, and not all questions could be answered. There were limits to the information the system could provide to a “transmigrator,” as “heaven’s secrets must not be revealed.” So, Xie Zhitian wanted to ask in advance to avoid wasting this opportunity.

Xiao Yi replied, “No, it’s free. In that case, you can ask a different question. Our work is full of humanistic care!”

Xie Zhitian: …Alright.

She pondered seriously, wanting to use this rare opportunity on a valuable question.

After a moment, Xie Zhitian said, “Regarding the conflict between the Queen and the Commander, give me one piece of information within your ability that is most useful to me right now.”

Perhaps feeling guilty for not showing up for so long, Xiao Yi was uncharacteristically serious this time. “Okay, let me check your progress… Hmm, you’re doing well.”

After a flurry of keyboard-tapping sounds, Xiao Yi’s voice rang out again. “I’ve got it! This piece of information will definitely help you.”

Xie Zhitian held her breath. “What is it?”

Xiao Yi asked her, “Do you remember the name Zhuo Wu?”

Xie Zhitian quickly searched her memory. “Yes, he’s the person Xiao Wen takes refuge with in the later stages, right?”

In the original novel, Xiao Wen’s journey was smooth. He accumulated a large number of points by constantly “conquering” women and was able to exchange them for many resources through the “conquering” system. After gaining financial freedom, his desire for power was gradually awakened. By chance, he met a male official working in the central government and began to think about climbing the social ladder.

Xiao Wen spent a fortune using the rare resources from his system to win the official’s favor. The official, in turn, supported him and gave him a job. Xiao Wen clung to this powerful figure and later secured a well-paying position in the central government.

This official’s name was Zhuo Wu, who could be called Xiao Wen’s benefactor.

Xiao Yi said, “Yes, actually, Zhuo Wu is a subordinate of the Supreme Commander.”

Xie Zhitian was stunned. In other words, in the original story, Xiao Wen also joined the Commander’s faction in the later stages and worked for the Commander. Given Xiao Wen’s character and actions, this was a very reasonable plot development.

However, in the past, Xiao Wen was able to climb up the ladder by clinging to Zhuo Wu, a powerful figure, by using rare resources from the apocalypse. Now, with only over 300 points left, he couldn’t use resources to show favor to Zhuo Wu.

Xie Zhitian asked, “So the information you want to tell me is?”

Xiao Yi said, “It’s an unfortunate piece of news. Under the Commander’s instructions, Zhuo Wu has already made contact with Xiao Wen.”

Xie Zhitian frowned, a sense of confusion clouding her mind. “Xiao Wen is just a lowly servant with nothing now. Why would Zhuo Wu contact him?”

Xiao Yi explained, “Many districts were involved in the District 7 incident, and the commotion was big. The Commander has many spies and was naturally aware of it. Someone reported the information of the main participants in this incident to the Commander, including you and Luo Yang.”

“So on the night you were rushing to District 7, the Commander arranged for Zhuo Wu to contact Xiao Wen, and they’ve been in intermittent private contact for the past few days. Xiao Wen is the only servant you brought with you, and Zhuo Wu believes your relationship is close. He hopes to win over Xiao Wen and have him keep an eye on you and Luo Yang.”

Xie Zhitian’s heart sank. When she and Luo Yang got involved in the mission, they used fake names and disguised themselves. She thought she had been discreet enough, but that wasn’t the case. Unbeknownst to them, the two had already been drawn into this conflict.

She asked Xiao Yi, “What kind of information does Zhuo Wu want Xiao Wen to get for him?”

Xiao Yi said, “Two outstanding newcomers suddenly appeared in the enemy camp. Of course, he wants to get a better understanding and see if you will become a threat. After learning that the Queen sent people to talk to you, he probably now wants to know if you’ll accept the Queen’s invitation.”

Xie Zhitian was thoughtful. It seemed that her actions had caused the timeline to change, resulting in a plot completely different from the book. Although this increased the danger for her, from a broader perspective, this development should be much better than the original situation. After all, the original novel didn’t mention the District 7 incident at all, probably because everything went smoothly.

No wonder Xiao Wen seemed so smug and wasn’t angry about being mocked in the past two days; it turned out he had found a powerful backer. Xie Zhitian knew Xiao Wen’s true nature and could easily guess what he was thinking.

Xiao Wen must have believed that as long as he served Zhuo Wu well, his promotion would only be a matter of time. If he succeeded and made a name for himself, he wouldn’t have to be restricted by the “conquering” system. By then, he would have power and wealth and would be a true winner in life, with no shortage of beautiful women.

However, this information from Xiao Yi was indeed very useful, allowing her to stay ahead and be aware of the other party’s scheme.

Xie Zhitian thanked Xiao Yi solemnly. “Thank you. This is very valuable information.”

“You’re welcome, you’re welcome.” Xiao Yi was a little embarrassed. “Anyway, this one isn’t expensive… no, I mean, it’s my duty to assist the host, hehe. You keep up the good work; I have to go somewhere else now.”

Xie Zhitian: “…Okay, you go on.”

In any case, the gain from this conversation was significant.

But after all that, she was no longer sleepy.

Xie Zhitian let out a soft sigh and opened her eyes.

The car sped through the wilderness. The road ahead was wide and flat, and the trees and grass on both sides flashed past, stretching into a blurry streak of light and shadow.

A fair hand reached over and gently touched her forehead.

Xie Zhitian’s expression softened, and she looked over.

Luo Yang smiled at her, her clear eyes filled with a hint of concern. “Tiantian, I feel like you weren’t sleeping soundly. Are you not feeling well?”

Xie Zhitian’s eyes softened, and her voice was gentle. “No, I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

Even if Xiao Wen had a powerful backer, there was nothing to be afraid of. She would just go with the flow and prevent Xiao Wen from getting any useful information.

Xiao Wen still had over 300 points, which wasn’t a lot. She had been busy with district affairs for a while and hadn’t had much contact with Xiao Wen. Now that he posed a threat, she had to speed up and get rid of him.

Luo Yang said, “That’s good.”

Knowing that Xie Zhitian was okay, her tone became more cheerful. “I’ll see Xiaoxiao soon. I’m so happy.”

Xie Zhitian looked at her.

Luo Yang’s lips were curved in a happy smile. The sunlight fell on her eyebrows and eyelashes, outlining a soft, gentle silhouette. She looked like a goddess from ancient Greek mythology, pure and beautiful, untouched by the dust of the world.

Sensing Xie Zhitian’s gaze, she lowered her smile in embarrassment. “What’s wrong? Is there something on my face?”

Xie Zhitian smiled and shook her head, turning her gaze away.

She had never been an ambitious person who had to stand at the top, and she was completely uninterested in fame and fortune. She only wanted to live her own life. Saving the country’s destiny was a distant matter for her.

But at this moment, she wanted more power and a more solid reliance to protect Luo Yang.

She wanted it very, very much.

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