Daily Life of Being Turned Gay by the Male Lead After Transmigrating into an Apocalypse – CH56

Chapter 56: The Tempting Scent

The scent of rich broth and braised noodles drifting into the room was simply overpowering. Compared to that lavish aroma, the dry, crusty piece of stale bread in Zhang Qiang’s hand felt utterly tasteless.

Sniffing deeply, his eyes drifted involuntarily toward the cracked window, as if his gaze could pierce straight through the brick wall. His Adam’s apple bobbed with a hard swallow, and he let out a wry, helpless laugh. “Damn, that smells incredible… A scent like that could steal a man’s soul right out of his chest. If only I could have just a single bite, that would be pure heaven.”

Beneath the low table, a sharp kick landed squarely against his ankle. Zhang Qiang flinched and turned his head, immediately meeting Li Yu’s stern, warning glare. The message was unmistakable: Keep it down, and don’t make a nuisance of yourself.

He offered a sheepish grin, ducking his head in embarrassment. As if trying to chew that tantalizing aroma straight into his belly, he took a massive bite of the hard bread, chewing frantically until he choked and his eyes rolled back.

Meanwhile, in the room where Jiang Lin had taken shelter, the atmosphere was far stiffer.

The six survivors sharing the space had only banded together by chance while fleeing for their lives. None of them knew each other well; most hadn’t even exchanged full names, let alone built any sense of trust. Everyone harbored their own private calculations, their eyes glazed with constant wariness and suspicion. No one bothered to speak a single word more than necessary.

A man named Zhao Yong had been staring at Jiang Lin, who was curled up in the far corner, with a gaze as sticky and relentless as glue.

Earlier, Jiang Lin had used a handful of melted snow to wash the dirt and dried blood from her skin. The flickering flames cast a warm glow across her face, emphasizing a complexion as pale as fine porcelain. A few damp, dark strands of hair clung softly to her forehead, while her lips held a natural, vivid crimson hue that stood out strikingly in the gloom.

Her delicate, fragile beauty, set against the ruined backdrop of the dilapidated room, burned like a bright spark in the dead of night—shamelessly hooking into the darker, baser thoughts lurking in a man’s heart.

Zhao Yong looked down at the half-ration of dry compressed biscuit in his hand, then glanced back at the slender figure clutching her knees in silent isolation. The gears in his mind turned rapidly.

After a moment’s hesitation, he stood up, brushed the invisible dust from his jacket, and walked over to her corner. Offering the dry ration along with half a bottle of melted snow water, he forced his rough voice into a gentle, earnest tone: “Miss… Miss Jiang, right? You must be starving too. Have a bite to line your stomach. You went through quite a terrifying ordeal today—it must have been exhausting.”

Hearing the voice, Jiang Lin looked up in slight surprise, her gaze sweeping over the offerings in his hands.

She was indeed parched and famished. Her empty stomach throbbed with waves of dull, gnawing cramps from going without food for so long.

Yet she didn’t reach out to take it. Instead, she looked straight into Zhao Yong’s eyes. A distinct glint of greed and sleazy calculation flickered in his gaze, like a hidden viper flicking its tongue in the dark, sending a sudden chill racing down her spine.

Out of the corner of her eye, she quickly scanned the rest of the room. The other survivors were either feigning sleep with closed eyes or idly fiddling with their gear, yet all of them had quietly turned their attention in this direction.

Their expressions held idle curiosity and assessment, but beneath that lay sheer indifference—a cold detachment that said not my problem, tinged with the faint amusement of spectators waiting for a show.

Jiang Lin lowered her lashes, flawlessly masking the disgust and vigilance surging within her. Her voice remained low, laced with a clear, distant chill: “Thank you… but that won’t be necessary. I’m not hungry. Keep it for yourself.”

The greasy smile on Zhao Yong’s face froze for a fraction of a second, his eyes darkening. He hadn’t expected this woman to be so unyielding, turning him down without a second thought.

Yet on second thought, the more aloof and unattainable she acted, the more thrilling the prize would be once he finally broke her defenses. It would serve as the ultimate proof of his masculine prowess.

That initial sting of rejection quickly transformed into a sharper intrigue, fueling a deep, possessive urge to conquer her.

He grinned once more, pushing the biscuit and water a fraction closer, pitching his voice to sound utterly selfless and kindhearted: “Don’t stand on ceremony with me; I have plenty to spare. In this hellish world, crossing paths like this is pure fate, so looking out for one another is only natural. If you ever feel hungry or thirsty, just come find me. I’ll always have a little something to share with you.”

Jiang Lin didn’t look up at him again. Giving the barest nod, she squeezed a faint, noncommittal “Mm” from her throat and buried her face back into her folded arms, making her refusal to communicate abundantly clear.

Having hit a polite wall, Zhao Yong wasn’t particularly bothered. He smirked, turned on his heel, and strolled back to his spot, though his eyes continued to drift toward her corner every few minutes.

Through the drafty cracks in the walls, the mouth-watering scent of the hot meal from Chu Yang’s room grew stronger in the cold night air. It slipped into everyone’s nostrils, clawing at their empty bellies and stirring a restless, irritable hunger throughout the camp.

Jiang Lin quietly reached up, pressing a hand firmly against her cramping stomach to dull the ache. With her other hand, she covertly slipped her fingers into the inner pocket of her parka.

Her fingertips brushed against a few hard fruit candies—the very last of her private stash, and her only remaining sustenance.

Under the pretense of smoothing back her hair, she swiftly popped a candy into her mouth. Nestling it against the tip of her tongue, she let the faint, concentrated sweetness slowly dissolve across her cold palate, taking the edge off her gnawing hunger.

Over in Chu Yang’s quarters, the four young men were completely full and content. Warmth radiated through their limbs, and the deep fatigue of the past few days seemed to melt away into the cozy room.

Lin Xiao rubbed his swollen belly, let out a loud, satisfied burp, and leaned back against his chair, his face flushed with excitement. “When we fought that mutated tree this afternoon, I noticed a clear difference. Mobilizing my Metal Ability used to feel sluggish and stiff, but today the power flowed much smoother—and the output felt noticeably stronger too!”

He pulled a few spare crystal cores from his pocket, tossing them lightly in his palm. “Looks like these things really are the real deal. I’m going to push myself tonight and absorb a few more; with any luck, I might touch the threshold of Tier 2 in a few days.”

Lounging lazily against the wall, Chu Yang smiled warmly. “That’s great! Put in the work and break through early. That’ll bump our squad’s overall combat strength up another level.”

Lin Xiao nodded enthusiastically before turning toward Su Mubai, who was quietly clearing the empty bowls and wiping down the table. “Little Bai, what about you? You cast your Healing Ability quite a few times this afternoon; how are you holding up?”

Su Mubai paused, a thoughtful look crossing his delicate features before he offered a gentle nod. “Mm, there’s definitely a noticeable change. I treated several deep wounds today, which used to completely drain me. But unlike before, I don’t feel entirely hollowed out, dizzy, or on the verge of fainting. Right now I just feel moderately tired, and a good night’s rest should fix it. The energy from the crystal cores seems to be gradually expanding my power reserves, and my natural recovery rate has sped up as well.”

“Man, the benefits of these cores are no joke!” Lin Xiao beamed with satisfaction. “We need to hunt down as many as we can moving forward so everyone can power up as fast as possible!”

“Oh, right!” A sudden thought struck Lin Xiao, and he turned to look at Jiang Jue, who had been sitting quietly on the sidelines the entire time. The man remained entirely expressionless, exuding an air of unshakeable calm.

“Boss, your combat power is already off the charts. What rank is your Lightning Ability at right now? Give us a hint so the rest of us have a proper target to aim for!”

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