The night was pitch black.

Xu Shuangci dragged his weary body and pushed open the front door.

After pulling two all-nighters at the office, his heart was pounding uncontrollably. He felt as if he were hanging on by a thread. His body walked ahead, while his spirit trailed behind.

The autumn wind carried raindrops that struck the window with a crisp, clear sound.

Xu Shuangci tossed aside his coat, grabbed his pajamas, and headed straight for the bathroom.

Hot steam billowed, fogging the glass with a white haze. Through the mist, one could vaguely make out the slender figure of a young man, his skin pale to the point of looking sickly. Xu Shuangci finished his shower with his eyes closed, roughly towel-dried his hair, then pulled back the covers and crawled in.

A second before falling asleep, he thought, if he didn’t sleep now, he would surely die of a heart attack. The sound of rain outside suddenly grew louder.

The autumn wind raged; a flash of white light split the sky, as if the heavens had been cleaved in two. 

The Golden Continent.

Ancient trees soared to the heavens, their shadows obscuring the sun.

Winter was approaching; the forest was losing its vibrant colors, and a thick layer of leaves covered the ground. Qing emerged from the woods.

He was a tiger beastman of the Golden Continent. His beast form was massive, as tall as a man. His coat was coarse and thick, white all over, with only faint gray stripes on his hind legs. He stared intently in one direction.

His paw pads crunched through the withered leaves as he hesitated for a moment. Then, with a flick of his tail, he set off in that direction. Deep within the dense jungle lay a beastman.

He was dressed strangely—not in animal skins—with his arms and legs tightly wrapped.

The exposed skin was unusually pale. The wrist bones resting on the leaves were chafed red, the knuckles protruding, making him look gaunt. Qing approached, casting a shadow over the figure on the leaves.

When he got a clear look, his ice-blue eyes narrowed. A sub-beastman？

Autumn rain came without warning, falling in a chaotic downpour like beads from a broken string. The chill seeped through his skin, and Xu Shuangci curled up uneasily. Qing’s tail thudded heavily against the ground.

Trouble.

Trees intertwined amidst the sprawling mountain range.

A section at the base of the outermost mountain had been cleared away; venturing inward, a natural cave lay hidden there. A tall man emerged from the woods.

He looked down at the person in his arms, hesitating slightly.

A strand of long hair fell from his shoulder, brushing against the sub-beastman’s pale face. Seeing him shiver at the raindrops on the hair’s tip, he curled up and sought refuge in his embrace. Qing’s body went rigid.

After a long while, he took a deep breath and carried him into the cave. Xu Shuangci slept so soundly that he lost track of time.

He awoke from his dream and, before even opening his eyes, instinctively reached for his heart. Thankfully, he was alive.

The back of his hand brushed against soft, downy hair, and Xu Shuangci frowned. Where had that hair come from on his bed?

His eyes darted beneath his lids, and he suddenly opened them.

What met his gaze were cold stone walls. The dry grass beneath him was thick, and the fur he was clutching in his hand turned out to be a whole, intact piece of golden-red animal hide! Xu Shuangci sat up with a start.

He looked around in confusion.

But he’d sat up too abruptly; dizzy and disoriented, he clumsily braced himself with both hands on the bed.

Qing rested his head on his front paws, lying at the cave entrance with his eyes closed, resting. Hearing the commotion, his ears twitched.

Xu Shuangci clutched the dry grass beneath him to recover from the dizziness, then looked up toward the cave entrance.

There, crouched at the entrance, was a massive, supposedly extremely rare, carnivorous… silver tiger!!! Xu Shuangci blinked hesitantly.

A dream?

His fingers trembled as he moved them to his leg and twisted it violently.

“Ugh… that hurts!”

Qing half-opened his eyes, glanced at the chunks of meat and fruit by the bed, then closed them again. This sub-beastman was skinny and weak—and clearly had some issues in the head, too.

He probably won’t survive the winter. He’ll just share some food with him before he dies. 

Xu Shuangci had no idea what the big cat was thinking.

When he realized he wasn’t dreaming, his heart began pounding again. Afraid of dying once more, he hurriedly clutched his chest and curled back into the animal hide. He covered himself from head to toe, leaving only a small slit through which to peek.

This was a cave, bare and empty inside. The big cat at the entrance stood out like a sore thumb.

White fur, large paw pads—the fur coarse and dull, still stained with dried blood… It was clear at a glance that life hadn’t been kind to it. Lost in thought, he suddenly met the big cat’s icy blue eyes.

He jolted and immediately closed the slit. Qing’s tail swept across the ground.

Coward.

Before falling asleep, Xu Shuangci was certain he was at home and had locked the door.

He lived in a high-rise; there was no way a burglar could climb in. Nor was it possible that someone with too much time on their hands would move him from the city to this forest-like place while he was asleep.

Since none of the above was possible, it could only mean he’d hit the jackpot. He’d been transported.

The moment he realized this, his taut nerves jolted, and the thrill nearly made him pass out again. Xu Shuangci pinched himself, trembling. He tried to reassure himself.

It’s no big deal!

He’d even saved his own life—he’d come out ahead.

In the darkness, Xu Shuangci, having regained his composure, pressed his lips tightly together.

He remained curled up for an hour, then began to assess his current situation. He picked at the animal hide.

The hide had been flayed cleanly—something a wild beast couldn’t have done. That meant someone must be around.

The big cat was sitting quietly by the entrance. It hadn’t attacked him all this time—perhaps it was a pet kept by the owner. Or maybe…

Xu Shuangci gripped the fur of the hide tightly.

Or perhaps no one had been here in a long time, and the cave had been taken over by wild beasts. And he had just happened to end up here, becoming this big cat’s reserve food supply. Xu Shuangci took a deep breath, pushing the worst thoughts aside.

He reached down and felt the pajamas against his skin. They were still the same ones he’d been wearing before bed. Thank goodness, thank goodness—his body was his own.

Feeling stifled, Xu Shuangci gently pulled the fur open a crack.

He glanced at the big cat, which seemed too lazy to pay him any mind, then pulled the animal skin down a bit further. He quietly rolled over, lying flat on the grass mat, and stared at the rock wall.

Sleep on it, and start over.

He pulled the animal skin tighter around himself.

He thought of his adoptive grandparents, who had passed away long ago; he thought of how he had no family or friends; he thought of the house he’d just bought with a loan two years ago; he thought of how, at twenty-six, he was still so young…

But he didn’t die.

Things weren’t looking much better, though; his fate remained uncertain.

His mind was in chaos, and the unfamiliar surroundings only made him more uneasy. He wished he could just close his eyes and open them again, hoping all of this was just a dream. He didn’t know how much time had passed, but Xu Shuangci slowly pressed his hand against his stomach, his lips turning pale.

Hungry.

So hungry!

The hunger hit him with overwhelming force. The world spun, everything growing blurry.

Xu Shuangci’s limbs went limp, and everything before his eyes was shrouded in shadow. He paid no heed to the large cat at the cave entrance; staggering to his feet, he set out to find something to eat.

When he kicked a fruit and a piece of fresh meat lying on the leaves on the ground, he grabbed them as if they were treasures. He didn’t know if they were poisonous, but if he didn’t eat now, he’d starve to death even if he didn’t die suddenly.

Without a second thought, Xu Shuangci picked up a fruit, wiped it hastily, and popped it into his mouth. After two in a row, he finally collapsed onto the animal hide and began to recover.

The wild fruit was sweet, juicy, and carried a refreshing, fruity aroma. It tasted like a tomato, quenching his thirst and filling his stomach. Xu Shuangci grabbed another one and began to nibble on it slowly.

Once the pangs of hunger subsided, he leaned back against the stone wall and realized he was covered in a cold sweat. His sweat-soaked blue cotton pajamas clung to his back, and the chill of the wind sent shivers down his spine.

He was panting heavily; eating had felt like an enormous effort. Worried he might catch a cold, he kept an eye on the big cat out of the corner of his eye and carefully pulled the animal hide over himself.

His body warmed up.

Xu Shuangci pressed the back of his head against the rock wall and tilted his head slightly.

The big cat at the cave entrance hadn’t moved an inch. It looked aloof, keeping its eyes closed and ignoring him the whole time. He felt a little more at ease.

He looked away to find a pile of fruit and meat before him.

There were a dozen or so fruits, with red skins, though they looked a bit scrawny. He had just tasted one—it was very sweet. The meat was clearly fresh.

It was a vivid red, skinned, with blood still clinging to the flesh.

He’d overlooked this pile of food earlier, but now that he looked at it, he was even more certain that this cave had an owner. And that owner had even brought him food. At this thought, Xu Shuang’s heart settled a little.

With the big cat on guard, he dared not make a move.

After filling his stomach, Xu Shuangci crawled back onto the grass mat. He wrapped himself tightly in animal skins and soon drifted off into a drowsy sleep. The cave was now free of the rustling noises the sub-beastmen had made, leaving only the sound of breathing.

Qing gave the pile of food a lazy glance.

He’d eaten only three red fruits; the meat remained untouched. With such a poor appetite, he wouldn’t survive.

The Golden Continent isn’t exactly bountiful, but beastmen generally have hearty appetites. In winter, food is at its scarcest.

Without the support and protection of a tribe, weak sub-beastmen, cubs, and elderly beastmen all struggle to survive. And this sub-beastman he’d picked up was sickly to boot.

Qing was just a rogue beastman; he could barely take care of himself. Bringing the sub-beastman back was merely a momentary act of compassion. He couldn’t keep him alive, nor could he afford to hire a Priest to heal him.

All he could do was give the sub-beastman food before he died, and once he was gone, help bury him. Qing had no spare thoughts to spare for Xu Shuangci.

After confirming he posed no threat, he waited until the young sub-beastman fell asleep and slipped away quietly. He hadn’t caught any prey today.

Qing’s territory lay within a mountain range in the eastern part of the Golden Continent.

The Beast God Mountain Range, running north to south, separates the eastern region from the central-western region. The east is the barren land of the Golden Continent, while the central-western region beyond the Beast God Mountain Range is the fertile heartland.

It is also where the major tribes gather. Qing was driven out from there.

He has wandered for over a decade as a rogue beastman. He has long since mastered how a beastman survives the bitter winter.

When Xu Shuangci awoke again, it was already dark.

The temperature had plummeted overnight; even a single animal pelt felt insufficient. He pulled the pelt close and sat up.

The wind brushed against his exposed feet, sending a shiver down Xu Shuangci’s spine. How could it be this cold!

It was pitch black all around.

The cave entrance loomed dark and menacing, like the gaping maw of a giant beast.

Xu Shuangci inched backward until his back pressed against the stone wall; only then did his furrowed brow relax slightly. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, the shadow at the cave entrance came into focus.

It was a big cat.

He looked around, then widened his eyes to examine the pile of food by the straw mat.

Nothing more, nothing less.

The cave’s owner, whom he had expected to see, did not appear.

Xu Shuangci quietly picked up a fruit and began munching on it, making soft crunching sounds in the darkness. Qing’s ears twitched.

If he could still eat, perhaps he could survive a few more days. He opened his eyes.

Xu Shuangci looked up and met the gaze of two hanging light bulbs. His hand trembled, his throat tightened, and he immediately clamped down on the fruit flesh in his mouth, daring not to move. 

Beastmen could see in the dark. Qing clearly saw the sub-beastman shudder, then curl up.

The face half-hidden in the animal hide was small, eyes wide, staring at him nervously. One hand held a half-eaten fruit, the other clutched the hide tightly.

Qing gave his tail a flick.

He averted his gaze and slowly stood up.

Xu Shuangci could only see two gleaming eyes moving. The big cat stood up.

It was bigger than any tiger he’d ever seen at the zoo—big enough to bite off his head in one gulp. Xu Shuangci pressed his back tightly against the rock wall, his breath catching in his throat.

But the big cat left the cave. No… it wasn’t going to eat him?

Xu Shuangci didn’t let his guard down. Sure enough, not long after, that shadow reappeared at the cave entrance. It seemed to be dragging something, drawing closer and closer to him.

He thought he could smell the scent of blood on the big cat, hear the rustling of its thick paw pads on dry grass, and see the sharp fangs exposed as it opened its mouth…

The fangs seemed to be dripping with fresh blood from the flesh it had just torn off! Paralyzed by terror, he couldn’t move a muscle.

He tried to call for help, only to realize he couldn’t open his mouth. Help—

Whoosh!

Something soft landed on the top of his foot.

Xu Shuangci’s shoulders suddenly trembled; in a daze, he felt as though the tip of his nose had brushed against coarse fur, carrying a scent of fresh grass. Qing’s tail froze.

The tip of its tail curled, and it silently walked back. The big cat returned to its previous spot and lay down. Clunk—

The fruit rolled to the ground.

Xu Shuangci felt all the strength drain from his body, and he slumped onto the animal hide.

His temples throbbed as he clutched his chest and gasped for breath.

Only when he came to his senses did he realize he’d been holding his breath the whole time, to the point of near suffocation. He truly thought he was going to die.

Qing: The sub-beastman has had an episode.

He didn’t know how long he’d been lying there, but once his body had recovered, Xu Shuangci felt the new animal hide piled on top of the dry grass. It felt just like the one in his hand.

Was this what the big cat had brought over just now?

Xu Shuangci eyed the silent, shadowy figure, and a ridiculous suspicion gradually began to form in his mind—Was the big cat being dressed up too?

What kind of tiger brings a pelt when it sees someone shivering?

With this thought in mind, Xu Shuangci carefully unfolded the animal skins layer by layer, taking care not to make too much noise. The big cat had brought two of them.

One served as a mat, and the other, combined with the one from before, served as a blanket. Xu Shuangci wrapped himself up in them.

Leaning against the stone wall, he watched the dark figure at the cave entrance until midnight.