Chapter 1: Can Tigers Fly?

“Boom!”

A deafening explosion rocked Xiao Ningxue’s ears, violently shaking her out of her hiding place. For a moment, she was deafened, her ears ringing.

What was happening?

Wasn’t she lying in ambush for the zombies?

All human firearms had vanished completely a year ago. The only way to resist the undead now was through the supernatural abilities humans had awakened in the apocalypse. How could there be such a massive explosion?

Could someone have secretly stashed some explosives and used them at a critical moment?

Xiao Ningxue maintained her combat stance, waiting for the ringing in her ears to subside, for the smoke to clear.

Five seconds later, as her vision cleared, she froze in shock.

What was going on?

Why had the zombies turned into giant insects?

And why were they so grotesque?

Before she could make sense of the enlarged, monstrous bugs, she felt a sudden tug from behind.

Her right hand was lifted, her feet left the ground, and the scenery around her blurred as it rushed past.

—Someone was pulling her backward.

A roar sounded overhead.

Xiao Ningxue was about to resist, but when she saw the bizarre, oddly shaped fighter jets in the sky, she stopped abruptly.

“Equality Among All Beings” bomber.

Turning her head, she saw a man nearly two meters tall holding her like a chick in his hand.

The man had a head of white hair, a broad and high forehead, and three deep scars stretching across his brow ridge. His nose was sharp and prominent; his jawline taut and defined. Thick eyebrows framed his large amber eyes, flecked with streaks of fiery gold. His short, fine eyelashes shadowed his slightly narrowed gaze as he scrutinized Xiao Ningxue. The stern and lethal aura emanating from him gave her the chilling sense of being preyed upon by a carnivore.

His knuckles were rough; gripping her arm with such force that she felt her skin might be worn away.

Her body tensed, eyes wary as she regarded the man.

Qin Yixuan held Xiao Ningxue firmly, a flicker of surprise crossing his gaze as he felt the softness of her.

Instinctively, he eased his grip slightly.

Behind them, the sound of the insectoid horde’s pursuit grew louder. Qin Yixuan’s communicator crackled with his teammate’s voice: “Captain! The bugs are too close; the bombers can’t lock on the targets!”

He glanced back once more, as if steeling himself. “Keep bombing!”

Then, before Xiao Ningxue could react, he flung her upward.

As she fell freely through the air, the man transformed into a massive tiger—ten meters long and five meters tall. Clamping his powerful jaws around her waist, he bounded away from the bombing zone with graceful leaps.

Her life was safe, but her ears and stomach suffered greatly.

She had expected the tiger to slow down once away from the explosions, but it showed no sign of doing so.

Xiao Ningxue fought the churning turmoil in her gut, feeling faintly weightless as the ground receded rapidly beneath her...

A tiger with wings?

Could it fly?

A monster?

Her mind became a chaotic mess.

It wasn’t that she was weak—such uncontrollable, lightning-fast speed would overwhelm anyone without professional training.

But given the situation, she couldn’t ask the tiger to slow down.

Fortunately, after about two minutes, the tiger’s pace finally eased.

It slowed, then casually tossed her aside. Xiao Ningxue tumbled twice before coming to a stop.

“Ugh!”

Before she could argue with the tiger, she quickly lifted her head, unable to hold back the violent upheaval in her stomach. Clutching a nearby trash can she didn’t even notice before, she vomited.

The tiger vanished, replaced by the man she had seen at first.

He showed no sign of pity. Before she finished retching, he scolded her sharply: “Why didn’t you retreat with the troops? Do you realize how dangerous it was? If I had been a moment slower, you’d have had only two fates—ripped to shreds by the bugs or ground into paste by the bombers! Who’s your guardian? What’s their name? I’ll apply to have their guardianship revoked and assign you a new one!”

Xiao Ningxue, still reeling, was nearly infuriated by this harsh reprimand.

Just as she was about to retort, the man transformed into the tiger again and left.

This time, Xiao Ningxue clearly saw mechanical wings shimmering with red light on the tiger’s back.

A fire-elemental ability?

Her feelings fluctuated between frustration and disbelief.

She gasped, unable to catch her breath, and her humiliation was palpable.

She vomited again, this time more violently.

Outraged.

“Why didn’t you evacuate with the main force?” A gentle male voice came from behind her.

“Planet 9863 notified all residents to board the ships and leave a day ago. Why didn’t you go?”

How did he know that?!

Xiao Ningxue realized she was no longer in the muddy ambush zone, yet she still couldn’t comprehend her surroundings. Following a strategy of “if the enemy doesn’t move, neither will I,” she steadied herself until the nausea eased, then silently turned to face the approaching man.

He was... foxlike.

The instant she saw him, a phrase flashed through her mind.

Dressed in military attire, unlike the rugged man before, this one carried a unique charm. His cheekbones were slightly high, supporting thin skin; his jaw sharply tapered but not gaunt. His naturally wavy, chestnut hair framed a presence both ethereal and uncanny, like a mystical creature stepping down from an ancient painting under the moonlight.

His eyes, narrowed like a phoenix’s, gleamed with cunning; Xiao Ningxue dared not underestimate him.

His facial muscles twitched slightly, as if suppressing something.

Behind him trailed several uniformed men, each bearing distinct animalistic traits on their faces.

Without exception, their expressions were twisted and grim.

Xiao Ningxue recalled that, to evade the zombies’ keen sense of smell, she was covered in mud and the pungent scent of Tianxiang leaves. The combined aroma was so repellent that even humans would avoid her.

This group before her had surely suffered much.

Her peripheral vision caught the details of her surroundings.

She must be inside some kind of structure.

Recalling novels from her middle school days, Xiao Ningxue concluded she had arrived in a highly advanced era. Hearing the man’s words earlier, a vague confusion flickered in her eyes.

She was new here and knew nothing!

Hu Lingfei keenly sensed the young male’s bewilderment. With a half-smile, his expression was inscrutable.

“Little one, don’t tell me you forgot. You simply didn’t know about the evacuation?”

The entire sky over Planet 9863 had broadcast evacuation orders all day long, ensuring every corner of the world heard them, with district leaders repeatedly urging departure before the ships left.

Though the evacuation was rushed and some went missing, their families had explanations.

Where had this little one suddenly come from...?