Chapter 19 - The Pea of Discord and the Descent into Madness
Ouyang Aotian’s expression was as heavy as a leaden sky when he returned. Without a word of greeting, he pulled Que Lan aside into a corner to exchange hushed, urgent whispers. Que Tang, having no desire to be caught in the crossfire of their "protagonist" drama or play the role of a third-wheel "lightbulb," retreated to her room. She barricaded the door and, with a touch of desperate extravagance, withdrew a massive tub of water from her storage ring. In this dying world, a full bath was a "sickeningly" decadent act, but she scrubbed herself clean nonetheless. Ever the devoted "little padded jacket" to her increasingly unstable sister, she made sure to leave half the water for Que Lan.
Exhaustion eventually claimed her. She collapsed onto the bed in her nightgown, the edges of her consciousness fraying into sleep. Just as she was about to drift into the abyss of dreams, a sudden chill jerked her awake. She felt the unmistakable sensation of her skirt being slid down her legs.
Her eyes snapped open, only to meet Que Lan’s face—beautiful, cold, and as still as a frozen lake. Before Que Tang could even register a protest, she had been stripped down to her undergarments. Que Lan climbed into the bed behind her, pulling her into a crushing embrace.
The most alarming part? Que Tang couldn't feel a single thread of fabric against her back. Her sister was completely naked. The tactile sensation of cold, pale skin against her own made Que Tang want to burst into tears of sheer terror.
*What on earth is this "God-tier" development? Is this what a Sickness Value of fifty looks like?* Que Tang frantically summoned her system guide in her mind. *Little Mushroom! Help!*
"Indeed it is, nya~" the cat-like system replied with infuriating cheer. "The higher the Sickness Value, the more the female supporting character will disregard the logic and opinions of others. She will perform actions that are beyond your wildest imagination and comprehension. Nya~"
"Then... what am I supposed to do?" Que Tang's mental voice trembled.
"I haven't a clue, nya~ Perhaps the Host should just... obediently submit to her sister?"
"You're the guide! You're supposed to guide me through these crises!"
"I am merely a plot guide, nya! Besides, if the Host resists the female supporting character now, it might cause her Sickness Value to spike even higher."
Hearing this, Que Tang went limp, abandoning all thought of struggle. She reached back, taking Que Lan’s left hand which was draped over her waist. Using her finger, she traced words into her sister’s palm, one stroke at a time: *What’s wrong, Sister?*
"Ouyang says the zombies are gathering outside the sanctuary," Que Lan whispered, her voice devoid of warmth. "Their numbers are swelling. The military has realized they can't solve the problem. They’ve decided to evacuate."
Que Tang frowned. Though she had expected this plot development, she continued to write: *When do we leave with them?*
"...They don't intend to take everyone." Even though Que Lan was no longer truly human, she still possessed the vestigial habits of one, including a sudden, uncontrollable surge of human rage.
Que Tang’s finger paused. She hesitantly wrote: *So, they want to leave some people behind as bait to ensure their own safe retreat?*
Que Lan’s grip tightened, pulling Que Tang so close there wasn't a sliver of air between them. The military’s intent was transparent; they valued Ouyang Aotian’s charismatic leadership and had invited him to the meeting specifically to recruit him. But how could a man like him abandon the comrades who had bled and toiled alongside him to build this base? He had refused without a second thought. If he left, everyone left.
Que Lan wasn't surprised; it was exactly like her previous life. The only difference was that in this timeline, her foolish sister had no connection to Ouyang Aotian. Que Tang relied only on her. Que Lan’s plan for vengeance was a cocked bow, the arrow notched and ready to fly—but suddenly, she found she didn't want to release it. She just wanted to take her sister far away, to find a corner of the world where they could live in peace.
But she was a zombie. She didn't need food or water, but her sister did. And if her identity was ever exposed... what then?
Sensing the silence, Que Tang nudged her hand.
"Ouyang decided to stay," Que Lan said. "He said he won't abandon his people."
*And you, Sister?*
Que Lan leaned her head against Que Tang’s back. She needed this absolute proximity, this lack of barriers, to convince herself that her sister belonged to her alone. A dark, intrusive thought sprouted in her mind: *If I turn her into a zombie too, I’ll never have to worry about being exposed. She would be mine forever.*
"Nya~ The female supporting character’s Sickness Value has increased by 10. Current value: 60. How~ sca~ry~!"
*Shut up! Come out here right now, I promise I won't beat you to death!* Que Tang fumed at the system’s schadenfreude.
"I... have decided to stay and face it with him," Que Lan said, closing her eyes. She had already scouted the sanctuary and the surrounding areas. The "thing" that had exposed her in her previous life was nowhere to be found. This time, it would be different. She would simply wait for Ouyang to fall during the zombie tide... quietly, unnoticed...
And then, no one would stand between them.
Normally, such a devoted confession would have moved Que Tang, but the rising Sickness Value only filled her with dread. She had no idea what the reborn, vengeful sister was plotting. Taking a deep breath, she wrote in Que Lan’s palm: *Sister, no matter what happens, I will stay by your side.* She then clasped Que Lan’s hand over her own heart.
Que Lan froze. The soft, rhythmic thumping beneath her palm sent her own non-existent pulse into a phantom flutter.
"Nya~ Favorability increased by 20! Current value: 60. Host, you’re really giving it your all, aren't you? Sacrificing your 'charms' like this. Hurry up and max out that favorability to capture your sister!"
*Go eat your dried fish in silence. Do not question our pure sisterly bond or my pursuit of a standard BG ending!*
The following day, Que Tang became her sister’s shadow, refusing to leave her side for even a moment. Looking at her devoted sister, Que Lan flashed the first genuine smile since her rebirth.
*Sister looks so beautiful when she smiles.* For the first time, since the floating label "Female Supporting Character of this World" wasn't obscuring her vision, Que Tang truly looked at her. She was stunned to realize her sister was a peerless beauty.
"My sister is beautiful too. We are family, after all," Que Lan said softly, ruffling Que Tang’s hair before meticulously smoothing it back down.
As the sisters were busy building their rapport, the sound of hurried, joyful footsteps echoed from a distance. "Sister! Sister! Look what I found!"
Que Tang turned to see the young boy they had rescued earlier. He was cradling a ceramic pot, and inside it was...
*Wait. No. It can't be. Absolutely not! This is a novel, that’s a game! You can't mix art styles like this!* Que Tang’s eyes widened in horror.
"Nya~ It is exactly what you think it is."
*Nya my foot! Why is there a Peashooter—the most basic unit from Plants vs. Zombies—in this story?!*
"Because the next plot point involves the world being saved by the mutant plants discovered by this boy, nya~"
*What kind of demented author wrote this?! Tell me the title right now! When I get out of here alive, I’m going to leave a negative review on every single chapter!*
"The title is *[Plants vs. Zombies] Rebirth in the Apocalypse: Brave Vengeance*, nya~"
"And the zombies..."
"They underwent a patch update yesterday. They now look exactly like the ones in the game. Nya~"
Que Tang felt her knees go weak.
Que Lan’s eyes were also wide, her heart hammering against her ribs. *How? I searched the entire base! In my last life, a boy found this pot and brought it to us, and then...*
"Sister, I found out this plant attacks zombies automatically! It killed one right in front of me!" The boy excitedly thrust the pot toward Que Tang.
Que Tang quickly whipped out her notepad: *Where did you find it?*
"In the woods to the left of the sanctuary. I was playing there yesterday and ran into a zombie. This plant saved me! I went back today to bring 'Little Pea' home."
*Little Pea... what a creative name.* Que Tang wrote with a heavy heart: *Are there many more of these plants?*
"Yeah! The whole forest is full of them! Let's go tell Brother Ouyang!" The boy grabbed Que Tang’s hand to pull her away. However, none of them noticed the plant’s large, watery eyes blinking. Suddenly, it swiveled toward Que Lan and spat a green pea with a loud *thwack*.
Time seemed to freeze. The pea flew in slow motion toward Que Lan. Caught off guard, she couldn't dodge in time. The projectile struck her arm, tearing the skin. Instead of red, a spray of vivid green blood splattered onto the floor.
The boy’s face twisted into a mask of pure terror.
Que Tang stood frozen. *Of all the ways to be exposed... it had to be this ridiculous?*
Que Lan clutched her arm, her face darkening as she lowered her head. Suddenly, the boy screamed and bolted into the distance, his voice echoing through the halls: "Que... Que Lan is a zombie! Sister Que Lan is a monster!"
Que Tang took a step forward, reaching out to comfort her sister. But Que Lan recoiled.
"I’ve already died once," Que Lan said, her voice a flat, eerie calm. "Do you think I’ll fall for your tricks again? You must be itching to kill me now to save your precious 'comrades' and satisfy your sense of justice."
Que Tang tried to use sign language to explain, but Que Lan wouldn't look at her, nor would she allow herself to be touched.
Then, Que Lan began to laugh. It was a cold, hysterical sound. "I thought my life ended when you all betrayed and killed me in the last world. But the heavens gave me a second chance. I came back to destroy you and Ouyang Aotian. Tonight, the zombie tide will breach this place. Not a single one of you... will... leave... alive."
Que Lan turned and sprinted toward the concrete perimeter wall. Que Tang gave chase, her speed matching her sister’s. She almost caught her several times, but just as they reached the wall, Que Lan leaped. She cleared the massive fortification in a single, gravity-defying bound.
*...My sister must be the successor of some ancient martial arts sect. Max-level Cloud-Ladder Jump and Tiny Steps on Waves.*
After escaping, Que Lan found an abandoned skyscraper and huddled in a dark corner. "It’s all over..." Her sister... everything had been going so well... why?
*It’s that boy’s fault... all his fault!* Que Lan’s eyes glowed a feral red.
She sent out a psychic command, a ripple of brainwaves that reached every zombie in the vicinity. Thousands upon thousands of undead began to shuffle toward the sanctuary at her beck and call.
*Come. The more, the better. I’ll make sure no one escapes. I’ll turn them all into monsters just like me. No one gets to leave.*
"Nya~ The female supporting character’s Sickness Value is now at maximum capacity. Host, please be careful. Protect your 'chastity' at all costs. Nya~"
Que Tang sat in the silence of the base, her only thought being that she really wanted to find that boy and tear him into eight pieces.
***
**GLOSSARY OF NEW TERMS**
| Chinese | English | Notes |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 丧病值 | Sickness Value / Insanity Value | A metric for the character's irrational or "sick" behavior. |
| 小豌 | Little Pea | The nickname the boy gives the Peashooter. |
| 绿色血液 | Green blood | The physical proof of Que Lan's zombie nature. |
| 脑波 | Brainwaves / Psychic command | The method by which the Zombie King/Queen controls the horde. |
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Transmigrated as the Mary Sue: The Villainess's Revenge System | Chapter 19 | The Pea of Discord and the Descent into Madness | Novela.app | Novela.app
