Substitute Alpha Gets Confessed to by Her Ex’s Aunt on a Survival Variety Show – Chapter 131

Omega?

The little black dog had killed the camellia chicken, costing Liu Yinxi and Nan Huaixu not only their egg supply but an entire chicken’s worth of meat — a grievous loss.

Especially since they had traded supplies to Huang Heshan for that chicken. Losing both the eggs and the supplies they’d spent — the more they thought about it, the more depressing it became.

            

Nan Huaixu looked at the little dog and pouted, saying to Liu Yinxi, “You have a point, but the chicken’s already gone. Black Fur doesn’t mean any harm. If it won’t leave, let’s let it stay.”

Liu Yinxi asked, “What are we going to feed it?”

The little dog seemed to understand what they were arguing about. It hurriedly picked up a rat and gnawed on it, as if to say it could find its own food.

            

Nan Huaixu stroked the dog’s fur. “Dogs are omnivores. Leftover bones, fish broth, cassava peels, organs we don’t want, wild fruits and greens — it can eat all of it.”

Liu Yinxi pressed, “What if it destroys our shelter again?”

Nan Huaixu looked at the tail-wagging little dog, her heart softening. “I don’t think it will. If it really causes trouble, I’ll chase it away.”

            

Liu Yinxi kept losing ground. As a last resort, she tried appealing to Nan Huaixu’s competitive pragmatism. “But Teacher Nan, taking in this little dog serves no purpose. Can it help us in the competition? And what happens to it after the show ends?”

Nan Huaixu thought for a moment. “A dog can help guard camp. Keep watch at night. Maybe even help us hunt.”

“Hunt?” Liu Yinxi laughed, pointing at the dog. “This one? We should count ourselves lucky if it doesn’t scare the prey away.”

            

“Whine…” The little dog drooped its tail, flattened its ears, and lay down dejectedly.

Nan Huaixu quickly stroked its fur, coaxing it and calling it a good dog, then turned to Liu Yinxi with a scowl. “Liu Yinxi, what’s wrong with you? Why are you being so mean to a little animal all of a sudden? Don’t you love animals? I said we’re just trying it out — let’s see how it behaves first. Look how obedient it is. Isn’t it a bit dull, just the two of us here every day? Having a companion would be nice.”

Liu Yinxi fell silent for a moment, then huffed. “Fine, try it then. When it chews up something else in the shelter, don’t come crying to me. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

            

Nan Huaixu’s brow furrowed. “It won’t. Black Fur is a good dog. I’ve raised a puppy before. I know.”

Liu Yinxi scoffed. “You know. Didn’t the dog you raised run away?”

Nan Huaixu froze. A flicker of sorrow crossed her eyes. She turned away, stroking the little dog, and said nothing more to Liu Yinxi.

            

Nan Huaixu stayed silent, and Liu Yinxi began to panic. She had known the moment those words left her mouth that she’d gone too far. The departure of that little stray dog was a wound in Nan Huaixu’s heart — how could she have said it out loud, weaponized it against her?

Liu Yinxi reflected on what Nan Huaixu had said. She didn’t understand why she felt such sudden hostility toward a little dog. This dog was remarkably intuitive — even people who didn’t like dogs would find it endearing.

And Nan Huaixu was right. The dog could hunt for itself, leftovers would feed it fine, and a dog could help guard camp. None of that was a problem.

            

Liu Yinxi thought it over for a long time. It wasn’t until the rain stopped after noon that she arrived at an explanation: she simply didn’t want Nan Huaixu’s attention focused elsewhere.

She didn’t want Nan Huaixu paying more attention to anything else than she paid to her.

She wasn’t a child. Liu Yinxi couldn’t fathom how she could have such a childish thought.

            

It must be the original host’s influence.

She had inherited part of the original host, so in this transmigrated-book world, the original host’s childish impulses still interfered with her mind.

Liu Yinxi told herself she needed to overcome this undesirable part of her nature.

            

Liu Yinxi took the initiative to mix together the leftovers from breakfast and lunch, dumping them into the stone trough in the chicken coop — the one carved with English letters — and feeding them to the little dog.

Then she repaired the chicken coop, converting it into a doghouse. She placed a nest of dried grass and a stack of bark cloth inside the little shed.

The moment the doghouse was finished, the little dog ran inside, sniffing everywhere, looking everywhere. Then it settled into the grass nest, rolled onto its back, and carried its precious chicken bone into the nest, covering it with bark cloth to hide it.

            

Nan Huaixu sat on the first floor of the shelter, watching Liu Yinxi bustle about on the muddy ground, even smearing dirt on her cheeks. The gloom between Nan Huaixu’s brows gradually faded.

Liu Yinxi even wove a collar from grass vines, put it around the dog’s neck, gave it a bath, and applied herbs to repel parasites. Then she carried the dog over to Nan Huaixu. “I’m sorry, Teacher Nan. I said the wrong thing this morning. I apologize. Have you heard that pets can reincarnate and seek out a similar body to return to their owners? I think this little dog came back for you. Something must have happened to it before.”

Nan Huaixu gave her a gentle smile and gathered the little dog into her arms. “It’s fine. You don’t have to say things just to comfort me. You’re right about everything — a dog won’t help us in the competition. I was just being selfish, wanting something that could keep me company.”

            

Nan Huaixu sat on the wooden floor. Liu Yinxi stood on the grass, then crouched down, bringing her eyes level with Nan Huaixu’s. “Don’t I count as company?”

For some reason, Nan Huaixu couldn’t hold her gaze. She lowered her eyes slightly, stroking the drowsy little dog over and over. “You’re not always here. I gather supplies alone in the forest. Sometimes I’m alone in the shelter. Last night you even said you wanted to move to the cabin…”

Liu Yinxi relented. “I won’t move. I’m not moving. I promise I’ll be here every night. I won’t let you be scared, okay?”

            

Nan Huaixu pinched the dog’s ears — soft and warm — and her lips curved. “Mm, I’ll remember that. I just wanted to add a little joy to our lives. You like dogs too, don’t you?”

Liu Yinxi gazed at Nan Huaixu’s delicate features for a moment, then nodded with a smile. “I do. I like everything you like.”

Nan Huaixu looked up and smiled at her. “Liu Yinxi, thank you. I’m not angry with you. I was in the wrong too — I cared too much about the dog and lost focus on the competition. I got my priorities backward. I apologize.”

            

Liu Yinxi felt a sudden, ungrounded flush of guilt. She reached up to scratch the back of her head. “It’s nothing. It was raining today anyway — not much we could do.”

Nan Huaixu set the dog down and asked, “The rain’s stopped now. What’s your plan? We gave away some fish, so I’m thinking of restocking. I’ve gotten the hang of rowing and casting the net, too.”

Liu Yinxi said, “I built two trap cages this morning. I’ll go find spots to set them up. You cast the net in the nearby waters. Make sure you tie the life raft down with vine rope — don’t let it drift away. Stay safe.”

            

Every day in a survival competition mattered. Time was money. They’d lost half a day to rain — they couldn’t afford to waste the rest.

Liu Yinxi headed out first with the trap cages, while Nan Huaixu packed her backpack and went to the pool to fetch the life raft and fishing net.

She gathered the fishing net hanging from a tree branch into the life raft, then heard barking behind her. Nan Huaixu turned around. The little black dog, which had been napping in the shelter, had followed her. Seeing Nan Huaixu loading things onto the boat, it loaded itself on too, wagging its tail at her. Woof! Woof!

            

Nan Huaixu was amused. She scratched the dog’s chin. “You want to go fishing too?”

The little dog spun in a circle, looking determined. Awooo!

Nan Huaixu put on her life jacket and settled into the raft. “Alright, alright, I’ll take you fishing. Sit still and don’t wiggle around — careful you don’t fall in.”

            

The dog gave a woof and obediently lay down, completely still.

In the afternoon, the sun came out.

Nan Huaixu dipped the oars and rowed the life raft toward their usual fishing spot, gliding from the pool into the shallow lake area.

            

She tied the vine rope to a large tree by the lake, rowed to the maximum distance the rope would allow, and tossed a handful of wild greens and insect powder into the water. When ripples began spreading across the surface, she cast the net.

This ancient fishing method wasn’t very efficient and demanded considerable skill and experience. Nan Huaixu cast twice and pulled up nothing but waterweed and duckweed. The third try brought up two small fish.

She looked at the two palm-sized fish in the basket and sighed. She’d thought she’d mastered the technique, but these were nothing compared to the big fish Liu Yinxi caught.

            

The life raft drifted on the lake, rocking gently.

Awooo! Woof! Woof woof woof!

The little dog suddenly started barking at the trees on the lakeshore. Nan Huaixu patted its head. “It’s okay, don’t be scared. The wind makes the boat rock a bit on the lake. We won’t fall in.”

            

【So dizzy…】

【Manman, can you steady the robot dog? We’re getting seasick from the camera feed TAT】

【Switch to the drone feed for now, the robot dog is shaking so hard on the boat.】

            

【Hahaha laugh to death¹ — just now Black Fur and the robot dog were wagging tails at each other, and Black Fur got whacked by the robot dog’s steel tail. It was howling in pain (facepalm)】

【Poor Black Fur!】

【This is so unsafe. Manman shouldn’t have brought the dog fishing (frown)】

            

【Should’ve tied the dog to the shelter with a rope.】

【Nan Huaixu’s moves are so confusing. Why bring a burden fishing?】

【Because Manman really loves dogs! People who don’t get it have probably never had pets. Do you know how heartbreaking it is when your cat or dog carries its favorite toy into your suitcase when you’re packing for a trip? When Black Fur carried its chicken bone onto the raft and loaded itself on too, I was so moved I cried. It can’t bear to leave Manman’s side — only feels safe next to her. Just like my Yogurt QAQ】

            

【Wuwu, me too. Sadly my Bubbles isn’t around anymore (cry)】

【Did anyone notice the drone footage just now? I think I saw some shadows flash through the trees?!】

【I saw it too!】

            

【Something doesn’t feel right. Manman, row back quickly!】

Awooo—woof!

The dog kept barking at the trees without stopping. Nan Huaixu stroked it. “Shh, Black Fur, you’re scaring all the fish away.”

            

The dog circled her anxiously, still staring hard at the trees, the fur along its back starting to bristle.

Nan Huaixu noticed its strange behavior and sensed something was wrong. She hastily rowed toward shore.

Suddenly the dog barked loudly and turned to bite the leg of Nan Huaixu’s pants. Nan Huaixu whipped around and saw an arrow flying toward her with a whoosh.

            

An arrow?

Who?

Huang Heshan?

            

No—

In a split second, Nan Huaixu threw herself out of the way. Her foot slipped, and she tumbled into the lake.

Splash!!!

            

A huge spray erupted from the water. The dog’s barking echoed across the lake. Awooo! Woof woof!

Nan Huaixu sank briefly, but the life jacket quickly brought her back to the surface. She’d choked on water and her airway burned. She frantically swam to the life raft and grabbed its edge.

A second arrow flew from the trees and embedded itself in the life raft. Only then did Nan Huaixu realize — the arrows weren’t aimed at her. They were aimed at the dog.

            

Nan Huaixu ducked urgently. Just as things grew desperate, arrows flew from the trees on the opposite bank, accompanied by a deep, beastly roar. The attack on the dog ceased.

Nan Huaixu looked around in confusion. A figure emerged from the shade of the trees on the opposite bank, along with three sturdy wolf-dogs.

A splashing sound—

            

Something stirred in the water. A dark shape surged up from below. Nan Huaixu gasped as a strong hand pushed upward against her lower back. She grabbed the edge of the raft in confusion and turned her head to see a brown-skinned young woman with slightly curly black hair. One black-brown eye was visible; wet hair covered half her face.

The woman shook the hair from her face, revealing her other eye — a gray-blue one. She held one hand against Nan Huaixu’s back, her expression even more stunned than Nan Huaixu’s. “Omega?”

An angry shout rang out from the shore, first in Chinese, then in English: “Let her go!”

            

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