Xin Yi wasn’t sure how long she had been asleep.But sothing woke her. It was not a sound, it was more like... a feeling. She opened her eyes slowly.
Qing Lin was still holding her. His breathing was deep. He was clearly asleep. Kuan Tie was curled up near the fire, also sleeping.
Huo Gen and Yue Ling had finally finished their.....activities.....and were sleeping a respectful distance away.
Everything looked peaceful.
But sothing was definitely wrong.
Then she heard it.
The softest sound. Like leaves rustling. But there was no wind.
Suddenly, she spotted shapes moving in the darkness. Her heart started racing.
"Qing Lin," she whispered.
He didn’t wake.
"Qing Lin!" Louder now.
His eyes opened. "What—"
The first dart hit Kuan Tie. Then another hit Huo Gen. Then Yue Ling.
"What—" Qing Lin started to sit up.
A dart hit his shoulder. His eyes went wide, filling with shock.
"Xin......Yi..."
He slumped forward. "Qing Lin!" She tried to catch him but he was too heavy.
Figures erged from the trees. Tall, and muscular, covered in thick fur despite their human forms.
Wolves.
One of them stepped closer. Male. Silver fur. Ice-blue eyes. He looked down at Xin Yi wirh pure malice in his eyes.
"The marked female," he said. His voice was deep. "Our Alpha will want to see this one."
Another dart flew.
Xin Yi felt the sharp sting in her neck.
Then the world tilted.
[DING! (...)]
[Host status: Drugged]
[Entire party: Unconscious]
[Captured by: Unknown wolves]
[Situation: Very bad]
[Very, very bad...]
Her vision went black.
~
Xin Yi regained her consciousness very slowly. First it was sensation, her body swaying, but not on her own.
Then it was sound, multiple footsteps...and perhaps voices?
Final sensation was sll. Sothing like soap, but not hers.
Xin Yi’s eyes imdiately cracked open.
She was tied, as there were ropes around her wrists and ankles, and she was being carried like a sack of potatoes over soone’s very furry shoulder.
Wolf. Definitely wolf. She could see the thick gray fur, the pointed ears.
"Where..." Her voice ca out raspy.
"Awake already?" The wolf carrying her had a female voice. "The tranquilizer should have kept you down longer."
"Strong constitution," another voice said. Male. Deeper. "Or stubborn. Hard to tell with ’others’."
Xin Yi tried to struggle, but the ropes didn’t budge.
"Do not waste your energy," the female said. Not unkindly. "We are almost there."
Almost where?
She craned her neck, trying to see.
And froze.
Buildings.
Not cave dwellings. Not simple huts.
Actual BUILDINGS.
Stone structures with clean lines. Proper walls. Windows with......were those glass panes? Wooden doors that looked smooth, carved, finished. Paths made of flat stones, all uniform, all organized.
It looked like.....like a city.
A real city. From her forr world.
"What the..." she breathed.
[DING! (⊙_⊙)]
[Wolf Territory detected!
[Civilization Level: 87%!]
[That’s MUCH higher than anywhere else!]
[Host is in SERIOUS trouble! ☆]
"System!" she hissed under her breath. "Why didn’t you warn ?! You said nothing could go wrong!"
[DING! (¬‿¬)]
[I never said that!]
[Also: More drama this way!]
[Maximum entertainnt! ☆]
"You’re so useless," she muttered.
"Who is she talking to?" the male wolf asked.
"Herself. Fever does strange things."
They carried her through the settlent. Wolves everywhere. In human form, wearing actual CLOTHES. Not fur wraps. Not leaf skirts. Actual woven fabric. Tunics. Pants. So even had boots.
What the hell?
The buildings got bigger as they went deeper. More ornate. More.....sophisticated.
Then they reached the center.
A massive structure. White stone. So white it almost glowed in the afternoon sun. Pillars at the entrance. Carved designs along the walls. They carried her inside.
Cool air hit her imdiately. The interior was dim but clean. Polished floors. More pillars. And at the far end—
A throne.
An actual throne, made of white stone and what looked like....bones? No. Polished wood carved to look like bones.
They dropped her in front of it, and not gently.
"Ow!" She hit the floor hard. The ropes loosened slightly but didn’t co off completely.
"What is going on?" she demanded, trying to sit up. "Where is Qing Lin? Where are—"
"Quiet." The female wolf who had been carrying her stepped forward. "You will speak when the Alpha permits it."
"I don’t—"
"Quiet."
Footsteps approached them.
A female appeared. Older. Gray fur streaked with white. She carried a cup made of......ceramic? Actual ceramic?
She knelt beside Xin Yi. "Drink."
"What is it?"
"dicine. For your fever." The woman’s eyes were kind despite everything. "Moonpetal lotus. Crushed and mixed with water. It will help."
Xin Yi stared at the cup. Then at the woman. "How do you know about my fever?"
"We have been watching you for two days. We know everything." She held the cup to Xin Yi’s lips. "Drink. Or suffer."
Not much choice.
Xin Yi drank.
The taste was bitter. Like mint mixed with sothing dicinal. But the mont it hit her throat, she felt the change. The burning faded. The ache in her body lessened. Her head cleared.
"Oh," she breathed. "Oh, that’s.....that’s better."
The woman nodded and stood. "The fever will break within the hour. The blisters will take longer." She disappeared into the shadows.
Xin Yi looked down at her arms. The blisters were still there. But they didn’t hurt as much anymore.
"Where is Qing Lin?" she called out to the empty room. "Where are my people?"
Nobody responded to her.
Then suddenly, from behind the throne, soone stood, taking their perfect ti with each step.
He stepped into the light.....and Xin Yi’s eyes widened.
He was TALL. Maybe taller than Qing Lin. Broader too. His body was covered in thick fur, white with black markings that looked almost like tattoos. His chest was bare except for the fur, and she could see every muscle. Every line. His abs were clearly defined even through the fur.
He wore silk pants that hung low on his hips, dark blue, almost black. Gold bracelets wrapped around his wrists and upper arms.
His hair was long, black at the roots, fading to white at the tips. It fell past his shoulders in perfect waves.
And his eyes.
White.
Completely white. No pupils. No iris. Just glowing white that seed to see everything.
Five females surrounded him. All beautiful. All wearing similar silk. They touched him as he walked. Stroking his arms. His chest. His hair.
He didn’t acknowledge them, he just kept walking. Toward her.
Xin Yi’s heart was racing.
From fear.
Pure, absolute fear.
Yes, he was........attractive. Beautiful even. But mostly she was SCARED.
[DING!]
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: New Character Detected!]
[Na: Shà Chén (煞尘 - Fiendish Frost)]
[Species: Arctic Wolf Beastman]
[Rank: Alpha of the Northern Frost Wolf Tribe]
[Threat Level: CATASTROPHIC]
He stopped in front of her, and looked down, his eyes filled with disdain and irritation.
"How many of you are out there?"
Xin Yi blinked. "What? I don’t know what you’re talking about."
He scoffed. "Do not waste my ti with ignorance, female."
He crouched down gracefully, his white eyes boring into hers.
"I KNOW you are not from this world. From the information I have gotten as of recent. You building, trying to advance the snakes and panthers....Everything about you is......other." His lip curled. "So I ask again. How many more of you are HERE?"
Shit.
Shit shit shit.
He knew she was transmigrator???
"What?" she squeaked out.
His hand shot out, grabbing her chin and forcing her to look at him.
"How. Many. MORE?"
[DING! (╯°□°)╯]
[He’s NOT playing!]
[Answer carefully or die!]
[Or lie convincingly!]
[HOST PICK ONE! ☆]
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