Whoosh—

A gust of wind swept across the barren night desert, carrying with it fine grains of sand that shimmered faintly under the moonlight. From the dark shadow stretching across the dunes, a figure silently emerged — a woman with long, raven-black hair and piercing crimson eyes that glowed faintly like burning embers.

A moment later, a faint fluttering echoed from above.

A second figure descended from the night sky — a young blonde girl with twin ponytails, her delicate frame no taller than the other woman's chest. A pair of leathery, bat-like wings extended from her back, beating the air a few times before folding tightly against her spine as she landed beside her companion.

"Mia," the blonde girl spoke in a light, somewhat childish voice, "shouldn't we keep moving? Isn't traveling at night safer for us?"

The dark-haired woman, Mia, turned her head slightly, her crimson eyes narrowing. Her tone was cold and distant, but beneath that frost was a faint tremor of nostalgia.

"You don't understand, Sibeqi," she said quietly. "It's been four years since I left this place. I may never have another chance to come back. I have to see it... one last time."

"Hey, you— Catwoman!" Sibeqi crossed her arms and puffed out her cheeks indignantly. "What's with that look you just gave me? Are you mocking my height again?"

"You're overthinking things," Mia replied evenly, her face unreadable.

"Cut the act, your face screams arrogance!" Sibeqi snapped, stamping her foot. "One look at that expression and anyone would think you're some cold, scary monster. You're lucky I'm not easily frightened."

Mia stopped walking, her eyes narrowing slightly as she turned to face the petite blonde.

"What?" Sibeqi blinked. "You wanna fight me? Go ahead, I'm not scared." She bared her teeth, revealing two small, sharp fangs that caught the moonlight.

Mia gave her a flat, unimpressed glance. "Those teeth of yours have never tasted real blood. They're not intimidating at all."

"You—you just wait!" Sibeqi's face turned red as she jabbed a finger at her. "One day, I'll suck your blood dry, you cold-faced cat!"

"You couldn't win against me even if you tried." Mia's tone didn't change; she might as well have been commenting on the weather.

"Humph! I'm still young," Sibeqi said proudly, puffing out her chest. "Give me a few more years, and I'll beat you into submission. You'll be kneeling at my feet, calling me 'Princess Sibeqi' and begging for mercy!"

Mia's reply was simple and brutally factual: "You're twenty. Three years older than me."

"Damn it! That's because I slept longer!" Sibeqi's wings flared open in frustration, the tips brushing against the sand.

"Close your wings," Mia said coolly, "or you'll scare my little sister when we find her."

"Scare her? You mean peek at her," Sibeqi huffed, but she folded her wings anyway, muttering under her breath. "You just can't admit you miss her."

Mia didn't answer. Her gaze had turned toward the horizon, where faint outlines of a small, ruined settlement could be seen in the distance. "I have to tell Mino I'm still alive," she whispered.

"That's dangerous," Sibeqi warned, her expression growing serious. "You know as well as I do — you're being hunted. If you go near her, you'll bring trouble to her doorstep."

Mia's steps faltered. For a brief moment, pain flashed in her crimson eyes. "I'll be gone before anyone notices. I just need to see her once."

"You'd better remember what you're holding," Sibeqi muttered, glancing toward Mia's satchel. "That Thunder Spirit Beast egg — that's why they're after us."

Mia's grip on the satchel tightened. "I know."

Sibeqi sighed dramatically. "Honestly, I still don't get what's so special about that egg. If it were me, I'd have roasted it long ago. I've never tasted a spirit beast egg before."

"Idiot," Mia snapped, her composure breaking for a moment.

"You're the idiot!" Sibeqi fired back, her voice rising in pitch. "Those lunatics have been chasing us for thirty-three days straight because of that damn egg! I swear, I must've lost my mind joining the Oasis faction. All we ever do is steal things and run for our lives!"

"They'll give up soon," Mia replied faintly.

"You said the exact same thing last time," Sibeqi retorted furiously. "And that time we were hunted for a hundred days! My wings were nearly ripped off!"

"I forgot," Mia said flatly.

"You—argh!" Sibeqi was so angry she actually showed her little fangs again, tempted to bite the stoic woman right then and there.

Mia ignored her. Her crimson eyes suddenly sharpened, and she whispered, "We're here. Put away your fangs."

"Fine," Sibeqi muttered, puffing out her cheeks once again.

Just as she looked up, she walked face-first into Mia's back. The collision sent her sprawling onto the sand.

"Hey! Watch where you're standing!" Sibeqi shouted as she stood up and brushed the sand off her skirt.

But Mia didn't respond. She was staring straight ahead, her body tense.

Sibeqi followed her gaze — and froze.

In the distance stood a small, desolate tribe. The wooden huts were half-collapsed, and the once-lively village lay in ruins, eerily silent under the moonlight. There was no movement, no sign of life.

"This… was your home?" Sibeqi asked softly.

"Yes," Mia whispered. Her tone was calm, but the air around her seemed to grow colder. Even the shadows at her feet rippled unnaturally.

Then, without warning, her body blurred — and she vanished into the darkness, transforming into a stream of shadow that raced toward the ruined tribe.

Sibeqi sighed. "I should've guessed."

In this cruel world, small tribes vanished every day — swallowed by beasts, famine, or stronger clans. This was nothing new.

She spread her wings and glided silently after Mia.

When she landed, she found the cat-eared woman standing before a broken wooden shed, trembling slightly, her crimson eyes filled with an emotion that looked dangerously close to fear.

"Are you going to stand there, or go in?" Sibeqi asked gently. "Maybe you'll find something — a clue, or… a memory."

Mia bit her lip until it bled, then finally nodded. "Yeah."

She stepped inside.

The moment she did, Sibeqi wrinkled her nose. "I smell blood," she murmured.

The shed was empty — except for old, dried stains darkening the wooden floor. Mia's expression didn't change, but her hands were trembling.

"They've been gone about ten days," she said finally. "Whoever was here… left in a hurry."

"That'll make them hard to track," Sibeqi frowned.

"I'll find her," Mia said hoarsely.

Something glimmered faintly near her feet — a small, nicked stone. Mia knelt and picked it up.

For a split second, an instinct screamed in her mind — trap.

She darted backward on reflex, the shadows following her like tendrils, just barely avoiding the spot. Sibeqi, startled, nearly collided with her again.

"What's going on?" the blonde asked, her eyes turning blood-red in readiness.

"It's fine," Mia replied, cautious. "Just… something strange."

She stepped closer again, examining the stone. There was a crude carving of a girl with long ears — rabbit ears — etched into its surface.

"This rabbit drawing is pretty cute," Sibeqi said, peering over her shoulder.

"There's thread tied beneath it," Mia noted. "Something's hidden here."

"Then open it!" Sibeqi said eagerly. "Maybe it's a message from your sister."

Mia carefully untied the silk thread and tucked it into her pocket. The shadow beneath her rippled again, forming a dark, clawed hand that dug into the ground — and soon unearthed a small wooden box.

"It's a box! Open it, hurry!" Sibeqi leaned closer, her golden eyes gleaming. "Or do you want me to do it?"

"No," Mia said curtly.

She brushed off the dirt, lifted the lid, and found a neatly rolled piece of cloth inside.

Sibeqi tilted her head. "A piece of cloth? Maybe there's writing?"

"Minuo doesn't know how to write," Mia muttered, unfolding it slowly.

The moment she saw what was painted on it, her body went still.

Her breath quickened — rage flaring behind her crimson eyes.

"The bastard… the one riding that beast — he took her!"

Her voice was trembling with fury. "If he's hurt her even a little, I'll kill him myself."

Sibeqi peered at the cloth and frowned. "Actually… I don't think that's what this picture means."

Mia looked at her sharply. "What do you mean?"

Sibeqi pointed at the drawing. "See? Your sister drew herself smiling, following that man. I think she went willingly — maybe to find you."

"I know my sister's drawings," Mia said coldly. "You don't." She rolled up the cloth and tucked it close to her chest as if it were a sacred relic.

"Humph! You're just being stubborn," Sibeqi muttered, crossing her arms.

Mia ignored her. "A man riding a fierce beast… what kind of beast?" she murmured.

Sibeqi looked again and said confidently, "Looks like a turtle."

Mia shook her head. "No. It's more like an eight-fanged beast."

"Are you disagreeing with me again?" Sibeqi huffed.

"I'm stating the truth."

"Ugh! You'll regret it," Sibeqi said, glaring.

Mia didn't reply. Her voice, when she finally spoke, was calm again. "No matter what, I'll find Minuo."

The blonde's anger melted away. "I've always wondered," she said softly, "why did you leave her in the first place?"

Mia said nothing. Her mind was already far away — remembering the disgusting tribe leader who'd tried to claim her as his 'maid' four years ago. A maid in name, but in truth, it was something much darker.

So she had fled — telling her little sister to disguise herself as a boy — and vanished into the wilderness alone.

If not for a certain madwoman who had saved her, she would have been devoured by the Moon Wolves.

"…Don't talk anymore," Mia murmured.

Sibeqi sighed. "Fine, fine. You're no fun anyway."

But just as the silence settled in, Mia froze.

Her ears twitched. "They're here."

"What?!" Sibeqi's eyes widened.

"They've found us again." Mia's voice turned sharp. Her form melted into shadow, shooting out of the shed like black smoke.

Sibeqi cursed. "Damn those lunatics! Can't they just give up already?"

She spread her wings and took off after Mia.

Moments later, the ruined tribe fell silent again.

Then, from the darkness, three bestial figures emerged — one with a wolf's head, another with a lion's, and the third with a bear's.

The wolf-headed one sniffed the air. "They were just here."

"After them," the lion growled. "The Thunder Spirit Beast's egg must be recovered — and those two Oasis thieves must die."

"But the blonde one…" the bear-headed figure hesitated. "She was once—"

"She's a traitor," the lion cut him off coldly. "Yeyue City has abandoned her. She's fair game."

The wolf-headed man nodded, baring his teeth. "Understood."

And with that, the three shadows took off into the night once more.

The desert wind howled, covering the ruins in sand once again.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.