The night sky cracked with an unholy fury, a single lightning bolt piercing through the heavens and striking the ground at Li Wei's feet. Pain surged through him, followed by an unnatural stillness, like the world had paused to take a breath. Then came darkness.
When he woke, it was to a warmth he didn't recognize. The hard concrete of his city was replaced by soft grass beneath his fingers, and a golden sunrise spilled over a vast, picturesque landscape. Towering mountains loomed in the distance, their peaks shrouded in mist. A gentle breeze carried the scent of magnolias, stirring the red and gold silk of his unfamiliar robes.
Wei staggered to his feet, taking in his surroundings. This wasn't his city. No cars roared past; no skyscrapers jutted toward the sky. Instead, there was an ornate village nestled in the valley below, its curved rooftops and swaying lanterns exuding an ancient charm.
As he began to walk toward it, the strange reality of the situation started to sink in. The sky felt too vivid, the air too fresh. Even the weight of his body felt... different, as though something fundamental about him had shifted.
The villagers were the first sign that this was not just an ancient setting but an entirely foreign world. Men walked quietly, their gazes averted, dressed in simple, muted colors. Meanwhile, women strode with commanding confidence, their hair adorned with intricate pins and jewels, and their robes vibrant and heavily embroidered. Swords hung from their hips, and they barked orders with authority that no one dared question.
Wei was too busy staring at this strange dynamic to notice the tall figure approaching him.
"Boy!" a woman barked, her voice sharp as a whip.
Wei turned to see a striking figure clad in bronze armor. She had a face like carved jade—sharp and commanding—framed by jet-black hair tied in a high bun. Her eyes, as cold and piercing as winter frost, locked onto him with suspicion.
"What are you doing, wandering here like a lost lamb? Do you not know the dangers of the borderlands?"
Wei struggled to find words. "I... I'm new here."
She frowned, her gaze sweeping over him. "New?" Her eyes narrowed. "And where is your keeper? No respectable man wanders unaccompanied."
Wei blinked. Keeper?
Before he could respond, a shriek rang out. Down the road, a group of armed women with wild hair and savage expressions descended upon a merchant caravan. Bandits. The villagers scattered like frightened birds, but the armored woman moved swiftly, drawing her blade.
"Stay here," she commanded.
Her blade gleamed as she met the bandits head-on. Her movements were a deadly dance, precise and fluid. Wei couldn't look away. The bandits didn't stand a chance; within moments, they either lay groaning on the ground or fled into the woods.
The woman turned back to Wei, wiping her blade clean. "Foolish men like you wouldn't last a day out here. Come with me before someone else decides to snatch you up."
. . .
The woman introduced herself as General Jiang Yue, a commander renowned for defending the northern territories. Her estate was vast, its walls lined with banners that bore the symbol of a tiger swallowing the moon.
As Wei entered, he noticed the disparity in treatment. Servant women barked orders at their male counterparts, who worked quietly and diligently.
"Men in this world..." he murmured, trying to piece it together.
Yue, ever perceptive, snorted. "Confused, are you? You truly must be an outsider."
She explained as they walked. "Women were granted strength by the goddess Nuwa herself to rule wisely and protect the land. Men, though weaker, are valued for their wisdom, beauty, and grace. A well-kept man reflects a woman's power and status."
Wei stumbled, the implications sinking in. He was an anomaly here—a man without a patron or keeper, wandering alone. It wasn't just unusual; it was dangerous.
As they passed through Yue's study, a large map on the wall caught Wei's attention. It depicted the land with intricate detail: mountain ranges, rivers, and cities marked with ancient runes. But one corner of the map was burned, obscuring whatever had once been there.
"That's the Northern Ruins," Yue said, noticing his interest. "A cursed place. Only fools venture there."
The way her voice tightened told Wei there was more to the story, but she didn't elaborate.
. . .
That night, Wei dreamed. He stood in a lush bamboo forest, a soft mist curling around his feet. A qilin, its shimmering scales glowing faintly, emerged from the fog. Its golden eyes stared into his soul, and its voice echoed in his mind.
"You are not of this world, Li Wei," it said. "You are here because the balance is broken. The threads of fate twist unnaturally. You must restore harmony."
Wei tried to ask how, but the qilin vanished, leaving him alone in the silence.
When he awoke, Yue was sitting by his bedside, her sharp eyes studying him. "You talk in your sleep," she said.
Wei hesitated. "Have you ever seen a qilin?"
Her gaze hardened. "Why do you ask?"
"I... saw one in a dream."
Yue stood abruptly, her expression unreadable. "Dreams are not always what they seem," she said before leaving the room.
. . .
The next morning, Yue announced that she would take Wei to the Spring Festival in the nearby city. "You'll stay by my side," she ordered. "I won't have anyone else laying claim to you."
The festival was a riot of color and noise, with stalls selling exotic goods and performers captivating the crowds. But Wei noticed the way women eyed him—curious, appraising, and even covetous.
One woman in particular caught his attention. Dressed in flowing robes of deep blue, she exuded an air of quiet power. Her gaze lingered on Wei, her lips curving into a faint smile before she disappeared into the crowd.
"Who was that?" Wei asked Yue.
"Mei Lian," Yue said, her tone dark. "A scholar and strategist. Stay away from her; she's not to be trusted."
But something about Mei Lian's gaze left an impression on Wei. It wasn't hunger or dominance like the others; it was something else—like she already knew him.
. . .
As the day wore on, Wei found himself drawn to a storyteller reciting ancient myths. The tale was of Nuwa and the creation of the world, but one detail stood out.
"They say Nuwa wept as she shaped the final man," the storyteller said. "Her tears fell upon the earth, giving life to creatures of immense power—guardians of balance. But those who seek to control them risk unleashing untold chaos."
Wei felt a chill run down his spine.
Unbeknownst to him, Yue and Mei Lian had noticed his interest. From their respective corners of the festival, their gazes locked in silent challenge.
"He's mine," Yue's eyes seemed to say.
"Not for long," Mei Lian's smirk replied.
In the shadows, a third figure watched, her golden eyes gleaming. A faint smile played on her lips as she whispered, "The game begins."