Transmigrated as the Cannon Fodder Boss of the Disabled Heroine - Chapter 82

The lake was connected to the sea through an artificially dug channel. Since rivers flowing into the sea don’t create countercurrents, there was no possibility of sharks entering.

Pei Yijiang was amused by Jinduo’s whimsical remark. After reassuring the girls, she checked in at the school’s group registration point. Since most participants were high school students, an age full of energy and curiosity, the activity wasn’t entirely free-form. Teachers and guides arranged the itinerary.

Once everyone had packed and prepared, they headed to the restaurant for dinner. The meal involved selecting fresh ingredients, which were then prepared by chefs. The island boasted abundant seafood, mostly live products raised in tanks.

Dining was organized by accommodation groups. The six girls ordered one pomelo-glazed flower crab per person, along with salt-and-pepper mantis shrimp, sweet and sour pork, scallion fish, cold dishes, and stir-fried vegetables, all local specialties.

Pei Yijiang wasn’t fond of crab, a food that required slow, meticulous shelling. She had never tried pomelo sauce with crab either, but the dish still impressed her when served.

The flower crabs, though small, were simmered in pomelo sauce, creating a sweet-and-sour flavor. The tender crab meat, paired with rich roe and tangy pomelo juice, was a delightful sensory experience. Dipping it in pomelo vinegar added a novel, appetizing touch.

The fish, freshly caught from designated aquaculture zones, was tender and fragrant, with bones meticulously removed. It was seasoned with local herbs, making it light yet flavorful.

Pei Yijiang immediately served Yu Zhiwan a piece of fish belly.

“How is it?”

She remembered Yu Zhiwan preferred milder flavors over the spicy, heavy dishes popular among young people, like hotpot or barbecue. The cold dishes osmanthus water chestnuts and taro lotus root were also to her liking.

The meal was lively with laughter. Jiang Wenxiu, thrilled to share a house with her idol, cheered up and even cracked a few jokes.

After dinner, the guide led everyone on a stroll before returning via a mountain path.

Lush greenery covered the trail, the island’s landscaping was impeccable. As dusk fell, warm sunset rays filtered through bamboo groves, blending with the students’ laughter.

Pei Yijiang and Yu Zhiwan walked hand in hand at the back. The long staircase, though not steep, could be tiring. The school had chosen this scenic route, though shortcuts and cable cars were available.

“The environment here is really nice.”

Pei Yijiang couldn’t help but marvel. She and Yu Zhiwan had visited Ningxiang, a gentle Jiangnan water town, but it lacked the wild charm of this place. She still thought about the golden pomelos and carvings at the stall, if only she could check them out now.

She loved it here because it was rare to feel so relaxed, free from tension.

Yu Zhiwan tightened her grip on her hand slightly, lowering her voice to ask:

“Back then, was this little island ever contaminated?”

Pei Yujiang’s relaxed mood immediately tensed up again.

After careful consideration, she replied:

“Not at first. Yaocheng was a tourist city, but not very economically developed. The closest outbreak point was Yicheng. But when signs first appeared in Yicheng, armed conflicts broke out immediately, leaving no time to worry about Yaocheng. The mayor of Yaocheng ordered the city sealed off, all able-bodied young people, regardless of gender, were sent to the front lines to help resist the zombie invasion, so things remained relatively stable inside.”

By the time Yaocheng fell too, this small island still hadn’t been contaminated by zombies. After all, the zombie virus was man-made, and they had no interest in a tiny island only good for fishing and vacations.

“I only remember it wasn’t affected at first. What happened later, I don’t recall.”

Pei Yujiang had been extremely busy back then, with too many areas to oversee. Though Yicheng wasn’t a major city, it was a military zone. Managing the surrounding areas left her little attention for this sparsely populated island, even if you cherish all parts equally, some inevitably get prioritized.

Still, living people inhabited this island too. If zombies had invaded, they might have died waiting desperately for rescue. The better scenario was that neither the zombie virus nor disease ravaged this place. After ferry services stopped, the island would be completely isolated. If the water remained uncontaminated, the people here could survive, though life would be harder.

Seeing Pei Yujiang fall silent, Yu Zhiwan patted her hand and gestured toward the students walking ahead. Teachers were more relaxed during after-dinner strolls, and several pairs had already secretly held hands under their sleeves.

The girls were especially bold, after all, hand-holding between girls was seen as perfectly normal behavior.

Pei Yujiang forced a smile, but her mood remained heavy throughout the walk. It wasn’t until they returned to their lodgings and Jin Duo suggested a card game that the atmosphere lightened.

Like a magician, Jin Duo produced a deck of cards from her pocket:

“Let’s play Ghost Catcher! It’s simple, easier than Gong Zhuang or Dou Dizhu!”

The card box bore the distinctive Qianshui Island logo, clearly purchased locally. Considering teachers had been accompanying the group the whole time, no one could figure out how Jin Duo managed this under their noses. Even Jiang Wenxiu, no stranger to such antics, was thoroughly impressed.

“There’s a vending machine area selling cards. I pretended to buy water and used the machine as cover, heh.”

Jin Duo laughed heartily. She’d made the purchase lightning-fast, tossing down money without waiting for change. At eighteen yuan per deck (she even let the vendor keep two yuan extra), Pei Yujiang suspected Jin Duo got scammed, what kind of playing cards cost eighteen yuan? Unless it’s just for that Qianshui Island logo?

Upon opening it, they discovered these weren’t standard playing cards but a Qianshui Island specialty set with exquisitely illustrated designs. The game resembled Animal Chess but was slightly more complex. Pei Yujiang’s interest was immediately piqued.

Though Ding Fang and Shen Jiayu were usually engrossed in studies, they didn’t want to spoil the fun. After a few rounds, everyone had fully grasped the rules.

This game was indeed related to “ghost hunting,” where one person played the role of the ghost, using their cards to strategize and capture the others. The rules were quite complex, and by the fourth round, everyone had fully grasped them. Yu Zhiwan took on the role of the ghost, employing a risky tactic by ambushing along the path and capturing a total of five cards from Pei Yujiang and Jin Duo combined.

Three “soldiers” and two “blades” fell into her hands. The “blades” were the weapons players used to attack, so this essentially disarmed them.

After Yu Zhiwan’s victory, Shen Jiayu took over as the ghost. Shen Jiayu’s playstyle was even more aggressive than Yu Zhiwan’s. She started by retreating step by step, luring the enemy deeper, and since communication wasn’t allowed during the strategy phase, Yu Zhiwan bit back her words several times, helplessly watching as the three younger girls handed their “blades” straight to Shen Jiayu.

Shen Jiayu looked like a standard cute girl, with round, rabbit-like eyes, but her tactics were ruthless. She nearly depleted her own resources, only to turn the tables at the last moment, disarming all three of their attacking lines and barely managing to swallow up Pei Yujiang and Yu Zhiwan with her remaining weakened forces.

This match lasted a full hour, leaving Jiang Wenxiu with a sore neck from sitting too long. At first, she had been intently watching the board, but eventually, her gaze involuntarily drifted toward Shen Jiayu.

Shen Jiayu played with intense focus, looking less like she was playing a game and more like she was commanding an actual battlefield. Her lips pressed thin, and when she finally closed the net, the killing intent in her moves was palpable, making even Pei Yujiang tense up under the pressure.

By the time the game ended, everyone was exhausted. Ding Fang chuckled and nudged her:

“Jiayu takes this so seriously, some of those moves I never even thought of.”

Once off the field, Shen Jiayu reverted to her usual soft and adorable demeanor.

Pei Yujiang stretched and went to wash her face. Seeing that the sun had already set outside, she glanced at Yu Zhiwan, silently asking if she wanted to go out together.

They had long scoped out the nearby stalls, figuring the night market would be livelier. Students weren’t allowed to leave without a teacher’s permission, but the two of them weren’t restricted. Watching the students still indoors, Pei Yujiang suddenly felt a mischievous thrill like they were sneaking around in a school romance, conspiring to skip class and go shopping.

Pei Yujiang gave Yu Zhiwan a meaningful look, and Yu Zhiwan caught on immediately, claiming she was tired and needed to rest upstairs for a bit. Naturally, no one else followed, instead dispersing to their own rooms. Ding Fang and Shen Jiayu shared a room, planning to check their math answers together.

A short while later, Pei Yujiang applied some light makeup, grabbed her small camera, and the two of them slipped out quietly. They hadn’t told the kids, afraid they’d want to tag along especially Jiang Wenxiu, who would undoubtedly insist on joining if she knew. Pei Yujiang had no intention of bringing a third wheel along.

At night, Thousand Water Island took on a charm quite different from the daytime. The streets were lit with dazzling lights, and vendors continued their lively calls. Beyond the golden pomelos seen during the day, Pei Yujiang was surprised to spot someone ingeniously crafting pomelo lanterns, hollowed-out pomelos with candles inside, emitting a refreshing citrus fragrance when lit.

She had always loved the scent of this fruit. Unable to resist the enthusiastic hawking, Pei Yujiang immediately bought one from a vendor and handed it to her girlfriend to carry, her mood lifting effortlessly.

“What about the pomelo carving?” Yu Zhiwan hadn’t forgotten the bold promise Pei Yujiang had made earlier. “You said you’d make one for me. Can you really do it?”

Pei Yujiang: “Of course I can!” A woman must never admit defeat!

True to her word, she bought a few golden pomelos and a small carving knife. The vendor seemed reluctant to sell the knife outright, preferring she commission the carving from him, after all, each character cost 20 yuan, while the knife itself was priced at 300.

Pei Yujiang found this outrageous. Though the resort had knives, none were suitable for carving, only fruit knives, which were useless for the task. It wasn’t about the money; she simply felt 300 yuan was unreasonable for such a tiny blade and turned to leave.

Unexpectedly, the vendor grabbed the sleeve of Yu Zhiwan, who stood closest. “You’ve wasted my time asking about the price and cost me several customers. Now you’re just walking away?”

Yu Zhiwan, unfazed, calmly pried his hand off and met his gaze.

“A knife like this would cost three to five yuan at a supermarket. You’re charging 100? Price gouging much?”

The vendor snorted confidently, boasting about the knife’s superior quality as if it were some priceless heirloom.

Yu Zhiwan pressed further: “Do you have a vendor permit? Unlicensed stalls aren’t allowed here.”

Mistaking her for a routine inspector, the vendor smugly produced his ID only for Yu Zhiwan to snap a photo of it with lightning speed and start dialing the local commerce bureau.

She waved her phone.

“I’ll report you for price gouging. Even without a supermarket nearby for comparison, your markup is blatantly excessive. Under national law, you’ll face a fine between 3,000 and 5,000 yuan.”

The vendor: “…”

Clenching his teeth, he watched in disbelief as this seemingly refined woman actually prepared to file a report. His expression darkened, and he slammed the table, brandishing the knife at her.

“You crazy bitch! What business is it of yours what I charge for—”

Before he could finish, Pei Yujiang’s slender fingers tapped lightly on his wrist. A sharp pain shot through his tendons, surging straight to his nerves. The knife clattered from his grip as his body convulsed, leaving him momentarily speechless.

The vendor’s body trembled. By now, quite a few people had turned to look, but those who had just witnessed the scene only saw Pei Yujiang lightly touch him without any real force. The man was tall, burly, and intimidating, while these two young, beautiful women clearly looked like out-of-town tourists. How could they possibly have done that to him?

Yu Zhiwan, whose face appeared gentler, spoke softly. Though visibly nervous, she still shook her head at him:

“Can’t you just talk properly? Why pull out a knife? Are you trying to force a sale?”

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