Rejected By Five Alphas: Watch Me Thrive

A pungent, suffocating odor assaulted her senses. It was the stench of wild beasts and primal instincts, like an invisible hand gripping her throat. Alivia Sanford's eyes snapped open, her brain screaming a tactical alarm before she could even make out the dark, jagged walls of the cave.

In the torrent of memories, Alivia also grasped the fundamental laws of this strange world: a matriarchal society where women are revered and scarce, and a woman can have multiple male spouses. Men are subordinate to women, and their value depends on how well they serve and protect the women they choose. The original Alivia, though flawed, had the right to pursue Kane as a potential spouse-yet drugging him was still considered a desperate and shameful act. In this world, a woman's word is law, but she must also provide leadership and support for her harem. Having been a highly trained agent in her previous life, Alivia found this inversion both absurd and practical. If she could withstand Kane's wrath, perhaps she could turn this hierarchy into an advantage.

A heavy, burning sensation pressed down on her shoulders, pinning her body to the rough rock. A sharp, real pain shot through her back.

"Don't move," a voice growled, the vibrations coming from close to her collarbone.

Alivia's gaze focused. The man on top of her-no, a beast in human skin-was Kane Hensley. The name surfaced from the swamp of memories flooding her mind, accompanied by chaotic shame, despair, and an obsession that wasn't hers. Her agent instincts overwhelmed the emotional mire, quickly piecing together the tactical reality: the original Alivia had drugged him. She had tried to force herself on him.

And now, the drug is burning inside him, and he looks at her as if she were dirt stuck to the sole of his boot.

His silver eyes gleamed with a terrifying and wild light. His iron-like hand gripped her chin until her teeth ached and she tasted blood. "You think you can hold me back, you disgusting creature?" he roared, his hot breath burning her neck. "I'm going to destroy you now."

The murderous intent was real. It surged from him like a tidal wave, suffocating her. In that instant, Agent Alivia took control of her body. Panic, the disorientation of waking in a strange body-all vanished, leaving only the cold, hard instinct for survival.

This body was awful. Clumsy, sluggish, weak. But Kane straddled her, his weight pressing against her chest, his lower body completely exposed. He thought she was just a fat, helpless fool. He thought she couldn't move.

He was wrong.

Alivia stopped struggling. She relaxed her body and widened her eyes in feigned fear. Kane's grip loosened slightly, and a disgusted sneer appeared on his lips.

That's completely wrong.

Alivia took a deep breath, planted her feet firmly on the sand, and used all the strength her three hundred pounds could muster to thrust her right knee upwards. She aimed for his most vulnerable spot-the place where even the strongest warrior would crumble.

A muffled thud followed. Kane let out a suffocating groan of pain. The iron clamp on his chin disappeared, and he doubled over, his hands instinctively protecting his groin, his handsome face contorted in agony. He collapsed, his massive body curling up, unable to breathe for a long time. After a long while, he managed to lift his head, his silver eyes filled with shock and murderous intent as he stared at the woman who had subdued him like a well-trained assassin.

Alivia wasted no time. She shoved him in the chest, using his loss of balance to roll over. Her heavy body tumbled awkwardly across the cave floor, crushing the dry grass and kicking up dust, but she was free.

Kane fell to his knees, forehead pressed against the ground, a painful roar erupting from his throat. He raised his head, his silver eyes filled with shock and murderous intent as he stared at her.

Alivia struggled to her feet. Her lungs burned, her legs felt like lead, but adrenaline was a magical drug. Without looking back, she rushed towards the cave entrance, her bare feet slapping against the cold stones.

The sunlight slammed into her face like a heavy blow, blinding her instantly. Rough pebbles cut the soles of her feet, drawing blood, yet she continued running. She lunged behind a wind-eroded boulder outside the cave, her back pressed against the sun-baked rock.

Kane's roar echoed through the cave, followed by the sound of stones shattering against the walls. He was destroying the cave. He was furious.

But he didn't chase after them. Not yet.

Alivia pressed her hand to her chest, feeling her heart pounding like a trapped beast. She looked down at her arms. They were thick, grime-covered, and covered in red rashes. This was her body now. Three hundred pounds, riddled with illness, a shell despised by everyone.

A bitter laugh caught in her throat. In her past life, she could have torn Kane apart with her bare hands. Now, she was fleeing for her life like a frightened rabbit.

"Okay," she whispered hoarsely, "okay, assess the situation."

She closed her eyes, searching inward. Something should have been left behind. That bio-manipulation ability that made her a legend in the apocalypse-was it still there?

A faint warmth flickered in her dantian. Faint, like a spark compared to the raging fire she once controlled, but it was still there. Level one. Perhaps not quite there yet. But it was something nonetheless.

She opened her eyes, her gaze sharpening. She scanned the tribe's borders, noting the orc patrol routes. The forest beyond the mountains was her only option. It was dangerous, but it would keep her away from Kane.

Taking a deep breath, Alivia waited until the patrolling guards turned around, then, keeping her body as low as possible, slipped away from the rock and disappeared into the dense bushes, running towards the shadows of the back mountain.

Every step is a battle. The forest floor was covered with tree roots and decaying leaves, and Alivia's three hundred-pound body crashed through like an injured rhino. Her lungs were burning, her heart was pounding wildly behind her ribs, and thick, greasy, foul-smelling sweat trickled down her face.

She had to stop. Leaning against a huge oak tree, she gasped for breath, her chest rising and falling. "It's so tragic," she murmured, wiping the dirt from her face with the back of her hand. "Truly tragic."

A sharp buzzing sound interrupted her breathing. A strange insect, with a vibrant green body and fierce stingers, charged towards her face.

Instinct took over. Alivia raised her hand, commanding her bio-control abilities to strike, crushing the insect's nervous system.

A faint green light flashed from her fingertips-then it died out. The energy was too weak, too thin, even to penetrate the air.

The insect approached.

Damn it. Alivia snarled, slapping with her thick arms. She crushed the bug against the tree trunk, leaving a green viscous substance on the bark. She stared at the glowing viscous substance in her hands, a cruel reality surfacing in her mind. Her ability was useless. At most, it was only level one, barely enough to make someone's head ache, let alone fight the dangers of this world.

She must know what this ability can actually do. Picking up a sharp stone, she made a shallow cut on her forearm. Blood gushed out, the bright red contrasting against the muddy skin. She pressed her glowing fingers onto the wound, pushing the energy.

Healing was infuriatingly slow. Cells connected, tissue reconnecting bit by bit. It took a full two minutes for the wound to close, leaving a faint white line. When it was over, Alivia felt dizzy, her stomach spasming with intense hunger, as if she had been punched hard.

The sound of flowing water entered her ears. To a dehydrated body, it was the song of a siren. She pushed through the trees, struggling through the thorns-those thorns tearing at her rough leather skirt-stumbling toward the sound.

The stream was crystal clear, flowing through the forest. Alivia knelt by the bank, scooping up cold water and splashing it on her face. The chill was biting, washing away some of the sticky heat and grime.

She looked down.

The surface calmed down, becoming a mirror. The face she saw in the reflection made her stomach drop sharply.

That wasn't the face she recognized. Swollen, waxy yellow. Pimples swelled her cheeks and forehead, with her features squeezed into the center by thick fat. She opened her mouth in horror, revealing a crooked, yellowed set of teeth, some of which were already black at the roots.

Alivia jerked back and plopped down in the mud. "God," she muttered. She knew she was ugly-the memory told her so-but seeing it firsthand, this raw physiological reality, still felt like a heavy blow.

For a moment, despair choked her. Then she took a deep breath. "Self-pity doesn't burn calories," she said sharply to herself. "Get up."

She struggled back to the water's edge. This time, she didn't avert her gaze. She examined the reflection with the cool, analytical gaze of an agent assessing a target. Obese. Hormonal imbalance. Severe malnutrition masked by excess fat. Poor hygiene. Misaligned teeth.

"Well," her voice was flat, "it's a disaster area. But it's mine."

She stood up, brushing the mud off her buttocks. The first law of survival is health and hygiene. She couldn't fight back, she couldn't run fast, but at least she could wash herself clean. She scanned the shore for privacy. A shallow bend in the river, half-hidden by a pile of rocks and dense vines, was a good spot.

Alivia shuffled forward, her mind racing. She needed to wash herself clean. She needed to survive. Then, she needed to figure out how to fix this mess.

Alivia stood in the ankle-deep water of the river bend, her fingers tracing the knotted leather cord around her neck. That piece of animal hide smelled like sour milk and old sweat. She couldn't wait to tear it off.

Ding!

A sharp electronic sound exploded in her head, and she flinched, covering her ears with her hands. She crouched down, her eyes scanning the empty river bend, her hand reaching for a sharp stone on the riverbed.

Nothing at all. Only the rustling of leaves and the murmuring of a stream. The sound was in her head.

"Initializing..." announced a voice, smooth and arrogant, with the tone of a Silicon Valley tech geek, "Super Charm System, codenamed Kai, at your service."

Alivia pressed hard on her temples, convinced she was hallucinating. "Great," she muttered, "The toxins have finally fried my brain."

"Don't press it," Kai said with a condescending tone, "I'm not a brain tumor, lady. I'm your only golden finger in this savage world. No thanks."

A translucent blue holographic screen flickered into existence, hovering in front of the retina. Numbers and statistics scrolled past.

Appearance: -50.

Charisma: -100.

Survival probability: 2%.

Alivia stared at the number, her eyes twitching. "Negative one hundred charm value? Are you kidding?"

"Main quest activated," Kai continued, ignoring her question, "Conquer your five designated partners. Collect affection."

Alivia let out a sharp, humorless sneer. "Sorry? Conquer those five bastards? The one I just kneed in the groin and now wants to kill me? I'd rather go gamble in the wilderness."

The harsh alarm screamed in her mind. "Warning. Refusal will lead to system energy depletion, immediate soul erasure. You have no choice."

The threat was real. Alivia could feel the system's cold tendrils wrapping around her consciousness. She hated being backed into a corner. She hated being forced to comply. But she was a survivor.

She stood straight, threw down the rock, switched to negotiation mode. "Fine. I'll do your stupid task. But I need upfront payment. Show some sincerity."

The screen flickered. Kai was silent for a moment, clearly not used to a host who argued back. "Given your current... hygiene condition, which severely affects the visual experience, the system has approved the 'Beginner Cleaning Kit'."

A golden gift box icon appeared on the screen. Alivia clicked it in her mind.

A flash of light, three items appeared in her palm: a lavender soap, a soft-bristled toothbrush, and a fluffy white cotton towel.

Alivia stared at them. The scent of lavender, artificial, chemical, yet utterly sacred, rose from the soap. It was a corner of modern civilization, a lifeline in this stinking hell.

She didn't hesitate. She draped the towel over the rock, dipped the soap into the water, and lathered up a thick foam. The white foam looked particularly beautiful on her dirty skin.

She scrubbed vigorously, the rough soap grinding away layer after layer of dirt. Black water slipped from her body, swirling downstream.

"When you get the advanced whitening cream," Kael chattered in her mind, " Swipe it on, and that waxy skin will--"

"Shut up, Kael." Alivia said sharply, rinsing the soap from her arm.

She picked up the toothbrush. There was no toothpaste, but even brushing with water and crushed mint leaves made her mouth no longer like a sewer. It took half an hour, using nearly half a bar of soap, but finally, the first layer of grime was washed off.

She was still fat. The rash was still there. But the skin had returned to its natural color, and the smell was replaced by the clean scent of lavender.

Alivia wiped her body dry with a towel, the soft cotton clinging to her skin-a luxury. She felt light, human again. She wrapped the damp, barely clean animal hide back around herself and turned to leave the water's edge.

Then, the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. A change in the air. Someone was behind her.