The Hated Ex-Boyfriend

I used to be the ex-boyfriend of the survivor base's ultimate leader. Because of my terrible attitude and spoiled nature, I was despised by everyone and eventually thrown right into a horde of zombies.

After miraculously surviving and escaping, I discovered a terrifying truth. My world was actually a post-apocalyptic novel, and I was nothing more than a pathetic, tragic villain meant to die early.

To keep myself alive, I decided to completely abandon the main plotline and live a quiet, peaceful life on my own.

That was my plan, at least. But one day, the leader of the base suddenly tracked me down. His eyes were completely bloodshot, and the first words out of his mouth were breathless and broken.

"I thought I would never see you again."

"Felix, you are being completely unreasonable again."

Kieran's cold, detached voice rang out right behind me.

I jolted, stiffly turning around to meet his gaze. His eyes held nothing but impatience and anger. That familiar, indulgent love he used to reserve only for me was entirely gone.

Normally, I was at least a little intimidated by him. I do not know what got into me this time, but my temper snapped, and I screamed right back at his face.

"Yes! I am being unreasonable! What exactly are you going to do about it?"

Kieran clearly did not expect such a fiery outburst from me.

A second later, his rage spiked. His intimidating aura crashed down over me like a tidal wave, completely crushing my brief moment of bravery.

His face darkened so much it looked like a storm cloud ready to burst. "Felix, have I been too lenient with you?"

My anger was still there, but my courage had officially checked out.

I am not an idiot. I can tell the difference between Kieran being annoyed and Kieran being genuinely furious. When he truly loses his temper, he becomes terrifying.

"Dinner is ready, so I am leaving." I dropped that single sentence and bolted.

Nothing matters more than eating in the apocalypse. As long as I mentioned food, Kieran would not keep picking a fight.

Sure enough, I had not walked far before that chilling pressure behind me vanished, replaced only by his muffled, frustrated sigh.

We only had a little argument. Did he really need to be that fiercely intimidating?

My nose stung slightly, and I cursed him in my head. What a petty jerk.

On the way back to our quarters, people on the street shot me dirty, hostile glares.

I glared right back, fierce and unyielding.

The people in the base absolutely hated me.

Ordinary folks worked the fields to earn their keep. Those with combat abilities risked their lives outside the walls killing zombies.

I was the only one living like a delicate parasite, clinging tightly to Kieran for survival.

I never thought there was anything wrong with that. It was a mutual agreement between two consenting adults. What right did anyone else have to judge us? But people still constantly harassed me, claiming they were acting on behalf of the base and trying to "save" Kieran from my toxic influence.

My first major fallout with Kieran happened because I got into a physical fight. Someone was talking trash about me behind my back, and I happened to overhear it.

I had zero combat power, so it was a completely one-sided beatdown. I looked incredibly pathetic by the end of it.

But the part that infuriated me the most was Kieran. He did not check on my injuries first. Instead, he walked over and apologized to the guy who beat me up.

I gave him the silent treatment for three days after that. He eventually went on a scavenging run and brought back a box of rare chocolate to beg for my forgiveness.

Lately, our arguments had become far more frequent. At first, Kieran would at least pretend to coax me out of my bad moods.

As time went on, the bastard stopped trying entirely. He refused to say a single comforting word, always using meal times as a cheap excuse to break the ice.

Eat, eat, eat! I hoped he would choke on his food.

Kieran had just brutally scolded me in front of the entire base again, stripping away every ounce of my dignity.

I was supposed to be his boyfriend, yet he never once defended me. He just stood there and allowed them to humiliate me.

The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. I marched right up to Kieran and demanded a breakup.

He stayed completely silent, staring down at me with those pitch-black, bottomless eyes. After a long agonizing moment, he let out a dark sneer.

"Felix, what exactly gives you the delusion that you can survive out there without me?"

All my righteous anger instantly deflated.

He was right. I did not know how to kill zombies, and I was terrified of scavenging for supplies. My food, water, and shelter all depended entirely on him.

Kieran and I actually met before the apocalypse ruined the world.

Back then, he was just a nameless, poor kid. I still have no idea where he got the audacity to think he was worthy of courting someone from my social class.

But he was incredibly handsome. In a crowd of utterly average faces, his sharp, striking looks were a breath of fresh air. Having him around was good for my eyes.

Relying entirely on his pretty face, I decided to give him a chance.

After we got together, Kieran was completely obedient. If I told him to walk east, he would never dare look west.

I can confidently say that my current terrible temper is at least fifty percent his fault!

I just did not understand how things had devolved into this nightmare.

The base residents held a deep, venomous grudge against me, acting as if I had dragged their majestic, awe-inspiring leader into the gutter.

The pure contempt in their eyes made my blood boil. If it were not for this godforsaken apocalypse, people with their low status would not even be qualified to tie my shoes!

And Kieran was no longer my shield. He stopped prioritizing my feelings, and whenever I got into a shouting match, he blamed me without even asking what happened!

It is true what they say. The moment a man gains power and status, his heart completely changes.

To vent my bitter frustration, I waited until Kieran was sound asleep in the middle of the night. Then, I planted my foot firmly against his sculpted abs and kicked him right off the bed.

While he was still inhaling sharply on the floor, trying to process the pain, I moved like lightning. I grabbed the heavy quilt, threw it entirely over his head, and delivered several blind punches to his skull.

Finally, I bolted out of the bedroom like a frightened rabbit, locked the door from the outside, and casually made myself comfortable on the living room sofa.

Kieran violently twisted the doorknob a few times. He started pounding on the wood. His hoarse, deeply agitated voice seeped through the door. "Felix, what the hell are you throwing a tantrum over now?"

I completely ignored him.

A few minutes later, his voice dropped into a terrifying, bone-chilling octave. "Fine, Felix. If you have any guts at all, do not ever come back into this room."

I curled up tighter on the sofa and sniffled. Why should I listen to you? I will go wherever I please!

When daylight finally broke, the harsh sunlight pierced my eyes, making me scowl. After the apocalypse, the flora, fauna, and even the sun's rays had mutated to become incredibly harsh and burning.

If Kieran did not specifically hunt down high-grade sunscreen for me during his supply runs, my skin would have peeled off a long time ago.

I pulled the soft blanket up to my chin, happily dozing off again before my brain caught up with reality.

Wait, a blanket?

I snapped my eyes open, a smug grin spreading across my face.

Oh, Kieran. Even when we are in a bitter cold war, you still obediently sneak out to tuck me in.

Feeling like I had finally scored a victory, my mood skyrocketed. I decided I might actually give him a decent smile when he came back.

Kieran had specifically warned me to never leave our housing sector.

I did not have any friends in the base anyway, so I usually spent my entire day locked safely indoors.

But I never expected trouble to come knocking directly on my front door.

Looking at the fierce, vicious men blocking my entryway, my stomach dropped.

Usually, when Kieran was around, I would confidently hurl insults right back at them. But when he was gone, I absolutely never dared to provoke them.

These men chopped off zombie heads without blinking. My neck was significantly softer than a rotting corpse's.

The burly man in the front crossed his arms. "Felix, we are not trying to make things difficult for you. But lounging around being utterly useless every single day is getting a bit ridiculous, do you not think?"

I swallowed hard, desperately trying to maintain my usual arrogant, superior facade. "Did Kieran not make it clear to you? I belong to him. He contributes more than enough for the both of us. Do you really dare go against his orders?"

The men erupted into cruel, mocking laughter.

"You really still think you are some precious treasure? Commander Kieran already has a new lover. A smart person would take the hint, pack up quietly, and leave with some shred of dignity. You better start thinking about your own survival."

I felt like I had been struck by lightning. I stood completely frozen.

A new lover?

Kieran found someone else? Why did I not know about this?

A tidal wave of absolute terror consumed me. In that moment of panic, I did not even stop to question if their words were true.

The thugs kept talking. "Honestly, you are the most pathetic waste of space in this entire base. Even the street walkers know how to use their bodies to please a man and earn their keep. But you? You hide behind the Commander's protection, parading around like you own the place. A whore should at least have the self-awareness of a whore. Since you clearly do not know how to serve a man, you are coming outside the walls to scavenge with us."

My eyes widened in sheer horror. I had spent all this time perfectly sheltered under Kieran's wings, completely oblivious to the real, lethal dangers of the apocalypse. I was still acting like the spoiled rich kid I used to be.

I fought tooth and nail, refusing to go with them. But my scrawny arms were no match for grown, battle-hardened men. I was brutally dragged and tossed into the back of their armored truck.

The vehicle violently rumbled out of my familiar, safe haven.

Separated by a single concrete wall, one side was humanity, and the other was absolute hell.

I finally witnessed the true, unfiltered apocalypse. The putrid, rotting stench in the air was so thick I could barely breathe.

In that moment of nausea, I finally understood why Kieran always scrubbed himself raw in the shower before he even tried to touch me.

The last time I had faced a zombie up close was at the very beginning of the outbreak.

Back then, the infection rate was low, and society was still desperately holding onto a shred of order.

Kieran had grabbed my hand and fought his way out of our university campus, dragging me through unspeakable horrors until we reached this city and built the survivor base.

Sitting in the truck, I desperately missed his warmth. He loved me so deeply back then. Could he really betray me for someone else?

Or perhaps he truly did love me once, but my terrible behavior finally pushed him past his breaking point, and he simply decided I was not worth loving anymore?

The truck screeched to a halt in a desolate, ruined city.

The streets looked completely dead and abandoned. Was there actually anything left to scavenge here?

I eyed the men suspiciously as they prepared to disembark.

I desperately wanted to stay in the vehicle, but I was too terrified to remain alone. If a horde swarmed the truck, these men would absolutely never come back to save me.

After weighing my terrible options, I shakily followed them out.

We entered a massive, crumbling department store.

The shelves were completely barren and coated in a thick layer of grey dust. It looked like the place had been picked clean years ago.

Suddenly, a violent tremor shook the concrete floor beneath my feet.

By the time I realized what was happening, the men were already sprinting toward the exit at top speed.

My brain short-circuited. Pure instinct took over, and my legs carried me after them.

The men piled into the truck, slammed the doors, and the engine roared to life. They were not waiting for me!

They intentionally brought me out here to dispose of me!

The realization hit me like a physical blow. Uncontrollable, suffocating terror gripped my throat.

"Do not leave! Wait! Please do not leave me behind!"

I sprinted after the tires with everything I had, but the truck left me entirely in the dust.

They were gone.

And I was completely surrounded by the undead.

As the rotting, foul-smelling corpses dragged their feet closer and closer, I accepted my fate and squeezed my eyes shut.

The ruined city was blanketed by a thick, oppressive layer of grey clouds.

Amidst the gloom, a gust of wind carrying the stench of blood and decay swept through the street. A large, reinforced cargo truck slowly pulled to a stop nearby.

The noise attracted a few straggling zombies on the road. Before the monsters could even lunge, a group of people hopped out of the truck, wielding heavy blades. With terrifying efficiency, they severed the rotting heads from their bodies.

Startled by the commotion, I peeked through the narrow crack of the rusted dumpster I was currently hiding inside.

Their combat movements were brutally efficient. The three men in the group barely even blinked, decapitating zombies with single, fluid strikes.

After clearing the immediate area, the group began packing up, preparing to leave.

Panic surged through my chest. I did not care if they were saints or murderers. This city had been dead for years, and who knows when I would ever see living humans again.

I scrambled out of the filthy dumpster and sprinted awkwardly toward them.

Hearing footsteps, they instantly assumed I was a running mutant. One of the men whipped out a machete and swung it directly at my skull.

I shrieked, dropping to my knees and covering my head. "Please do not kill me! I am human! I am a good person!"

The sharp blade halted a millimeter above my scalp. A few strands of my severed hair fluttered to the asphalt. I sat completely paralyzed on the ground, a cold sweat drenching my back.

The man stared down at me, his face an absolute mask of ice, and slowly lowered his weapon.

Another man strolled over, crouching down to inspect me with wide, amused eyes. "Well, look at that! A living, breathing human in this hellhole!"

A second later, his cheerful expression twisted in absolute horror. He violently stumbled backward. "Holy crap! What is that smell?! You are going to suffocate me!"

My face burned bright red. I lowered my head in deep shame. "I am so, so sorry."

A young woman with short, practical hair stepped up to me. "Can you tell me why you are completely alone out here?"

She scratched her head, looking puzzled. "Or rather, how are you even alive right now?"

The dam finally broke. The memory of those bastards tossing me into a zombie horde flooded my mind, and I started sobbing uncontrollably.

By all logic, I should have been ripped to shreds within two seconds. But for some inexplicable reason, the surrounding zombie horde suddenly scattered into the alleys.

Clutching my painfully racing heart, I had frantically crawled into this dumpster and stayed paralyzed in the filth for two entire days.

I fully believed I would either be eaten alive or starve to death in the dark.

I never expected to be saved.

Through choked sobs, I briefly explained how my squad had maliciously abandoned me to die. The short-haired girls eyes softened with instant sympathy and outrage.

My eyes were red and swollen, tears pooling pitifully in my lashes. I looked exactly like a tragic, helpless victim who had been cruelly betrayed.

I had absolutely zero leverage or survival skills. Playing the pathetic, harmless victim was my only strategy to win their sympathy.

Thankfully, my fragile appearance and tragic story successfully lowered their guards.

"Can you please take me with you? I promise I will not be a burden. I can do anything you ask, just please do not leave me in this place."

The girl turned her head, looking at the three men for permission.

The guy who had complained about my smell gave a lazy, indifferent shrug. "Might as well bring him. Look at how scrawny he is. It is not like he is going to eat much of our rations."

I immediately nodded frantically. "Yes! Exactly! I barely eat anything at all!"

The other two men remained silent, which in the apocalypse essentially meant yes.

Just like that, I climbed into the back of their cargo truck and finally left that city of nightmares behind.

I had narrowly escaped death, and I should have been overjoyed. But a heavy, suffocating dread settled in my chest instead.

During those two terrifying days huddled in the dumpster, a flood of bizarre, cinematic visions had violently forced their way into my brain. Every single vision was about Kieran.

The Kieran in my mind felt terrifyingly unfamiliar. He did not look like the man who sighed helplessly at my tantrums, nor the man who scolded me with a stern face.

He radiated a bone-chilling, absolute frost. He barely looked like a man with a beating heart.

In those visions, I was completely absent. He stood entirely alone, ruling with an iron fist, slaughtering his enemies, expanding his territory, and ultimately ascending to become the absolute sovereign of the wasteland.

At the very end of those flashing memories, a line of glowing text appeared in my mind.

Commander Kieran was no longer the underdog a piece of trash like Felix could humiliate. He was the sole hope of humanity, destined to lead the survivors and ensure the fire of civilization never extinguished.

Reading that sentence and piecing all the memories together, the horrific truth became crystal clear.

This world was a published novel.

Kieran was the unstoppable protagonist.

And I was just a petty, malicious early-game villain who bullied him when he was weak. A worthless cannon fodder destined to be torn apart by zombies at the very beginning of the story.