The splash that followed was completely unexpected. Startled, An Jin swallowed a mouthful of river water. "COUGH, COUGH—" Immediately after, an arm tightened around her waist, lifting her up and carrying her swiftly toward the bank.
The muscles in the arm of the person behind her were clearly defined. The immense strength made it impossible for her to break free. Soaking wet, she was dragged ashore and collapsed on the ground, pounding her chest as she dry-heaved to get the water out.
Luckily, she hadn't swallowed much water, so she wasn't seriously harmed.
Once her breathing returned to normal, she propped herself up and looked at the strange man in front of her.
'Huh?'
'A man?'
'Where did a man come from?'
Her intuition told her this was highly suspicious. She didn't want to get involved with anyone of unknown origin. She was just about to speak when her voice was cut off by another, cold and hard as ice.
"Are you crazy?! This river is several meters deep. Jumping in was practically a death wish!"
The man stared at her angrily.
His face was almost too handsome, his thin lips pressed into a firm line. His features were sharp and distinct. His short, silver-white hair was sleek and smooth, a stark contrast to her own tangled mess.
Incredibly, a pair of white ears that looked like they belonged on a plush toy sat atop his head. Damp from the water, they drooped down against his silver-white hair, making one want to reach out and touch them.
His tall, well-built body exuded a wild, captivating, and primitive aura. Droplets of water trickled down his firm, taut muscles, puddling on the ground.
Behind him, a silver-white tail also hung limply, dripping wet.
'Huh?'
'Ears? A tail?'
The man gave An Jin no time to react. He strode forward on his long legs, grabbed her arm, and tried to haul her away. An Jin deliberately resisted, struggling and backing away.
"...?" He narrowed his turquoise eyes, a flash of impatience and anger in their depths. His attitude toward the burden in front of him wasn't malicious, but it definitely wasn't friendly. "If you don't want me to carry you, then follow me. If you keep acting so unreasonable, you'll face the consequences."
After delivering his threat, the cold and ruthless man turned and walked away.
"..."
An Jin didn't speak, nor did she move.
'Follow him? Hah, what a joke.'
'She didn't even know who this man was. Why on earth should she follow him?'
Right now, An Jin just wanted to get back to her "spawn point." Maybe there, she could find the contract that explained why she had transmigrated.
Seizing a moment when the man wasn't looking, she turned and ran into the dense thicket. But she hadn't taken more than two steps before a white "obstacle" appeared in her path.
A wolf.
A silver wolf.
A silver, and familiar, wolf...
The Silver Wolf's glowing green eyes stared at her coldly, its sharp claws like deadly blades. The irritation in its eyes seemed about to boil over.
An Jin was stunned and stumbled back several steps. But then, something even more reality-bending happened.
The Silver Wolf advanced on her with elegant steps. A white light enveloped it, and its body began to stretch and transform. In the blink of an eye, the handsome man in the animal-skin loincloth was standing before her.
The familiar wolf.
The familiar silver-haired man.
The two things merged in her mind like an atomic bomb, blasting her wide awake.
An Jin's mind reeled.
"Hurry up and follow me! If we don't find the tribe's party before dark, it'll be too difficult!" Ling Hong's last shred of patience was about to snap.
Although he was the tribe's number one warrior, he had always been aloof and withdrawn, and didn't like to talk much. Today had pushed him to his limit. If it weren't for the fact that An Jin was one of the tribe's rare females, he would have left her behind long ago.
He didn't want to waste any more time. Seeing the small, dark-skinned, and skinny female just standing there like a fool, he decisively grabbed her hand. With a strength that was hardly gentle, he flipped her over his broad shoulder. Cutting the problem short, he instantly dashed out of the forest's edge.
Flames flickered restlessly outside the forest. A mountain breeze rustled through the dark woods.
At the edge of the forest, a dozen or so men, who also had animal features, were pacing back and forth anxiously, each holding a torch.