In the vast Scarlet Flame Empire, the sky loomed dark and heavy, casting long shadows over the bustling city below. Citizens went about their day, unaware of the quiet horror unfolding in a narrow alleyway.
There, lying motionless on the cold stone ground, was a girl—no older than sixteen.
Her fingers twitched faintly.
Pain throbbed through her limbs as she began to stir, consciousness slowly returning. Her eyelids fluttered open, and muffled voices drifted into her ears.
"She's the daughter of a Viscount," a young woman said, her voice muffled beneath a veil. "She'll fetch a good price."
A deeper, gruff male voice responded with alarm, "What are you saying?! If she's a Viscount's daughter, they'll have my head!"
The girl groaned softly, pain stabbing through her body. Her vision blurred as she struggled to focus.
Two figures came into view—a slender woman dressed in ornate, ancient robes, her face hidden behind a translucent veil, and a rotund man with a bristly mustache, also dressed in traditional attire.
"She's unwanted," the veiled woman said coldly. "Only her grandfather cares for her, and he's away on the battlefield. No one will come looking. Trust me."
The fat man squinted at her suspiciously. "You're giving me this girl for free? Why does it feel like you're trying to trick me?"
The woman's eyes narrowed. "Take her or don't. I'll find another buyer."
The man flinched and quickly waved his hands.
"No, no—I didn't mean it like that! I'll take her. Alright?"
Her frown faded, and a smile tugged at her lips as she chuckled.
"Good. Then it's a deal."
She turned away, her footsteps echoing against the alley walls as the fat man leaned over the injured girl, greed gleaming in his eyes.
What's going on? Why am I injured?Wasn't I just at the assassin base...?
Tan Xia's eyes fluttered open slightly, only to snap shut again when she spotted a man approaching. Heavy footsteps echoed closer—his presence reeked of greed.
Keeping her breathing shallow, she moved her second hand slowly, fingers searching beneath her torn robes.
My needles...Her heart sank.Gone.
The man reached her, eyes gleaming with anticipation. Without a hint of hesitation, he hoisted her onto his shoulder like a sack of goods, his disgusting laugh echoing in her ears.
"Haha! She'll sell for a fortune at the underground auction!"
Tan Xia's expression twitched as fury welled up in her chest. A cold gleam flashed through her half-lidded eyes, and she raised her hand to strike his neck—but her body trembled and froze.
Ugh... Why is my body this weak? What happened to me...?
Her limbs refused to obey. The man carried her effortlessly, unaware of the silent rage brewing inside her.
He tossed her into a carriage covered with thick cloth, slammed the door shut, and walked away, his boots crunching against the gravel.
As his footsteps faded into the distance, Tan Xia finally opened her eyes fully.
What she saw made her blood run cold.
Inside the carriage, bound and gagged, were young girls—some barely thirteen, others in their early twenties. Their eyes were wide with fear and hopelessness. Some trembled silently, others wept.
Tan Xia's breath hitched. Her fists clenched with effort.
That bastard...
Her gaze turned icy, her heart dark and calm like a predator's.
I swear, I'll kill him. Not just kill—I'll make him wish he had never been born.
But… why are they wearing ancient clothes?Tan Xia frowned, her sharp eyes scanning the carriage once more.
The realization hit her suddenly. Her gaze dropped to her own body—and what she saw made her breath catch.
She too was dressed in ancient robes. Embroidered silk, delicate patterns, fabric from another era entirely.
Confusion twisted in her gut.
What the hell is going on...?
Then, a sharp pain exploded in her skull. She clutched her head, gritting her teeth as the agony surged through her like a tidal wave. Her vision blurred. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears.
And then—
Silence.
The pain receded. But something new lingered behind.
Memories.
Foreign. Fragmented. Unfamiliar—and yet, vividly clear. They poured into her mind like ink spilled across paper.
A cold smile slowly curled across Tan Xia's lips as she sifted through the new memories.
So… this isn't my body, huh?
She leaned back slightly, the realization settling in with chilling calm.
This body belongs to Shen Qianyu… a noble girl from a prestigious family. Her mother died giving birth to her, and her father—heartbroken—abandoned her emotionally. Instead, he remarried. And the woman who just sold me off?
Her eyes darkened.
That's my oh-so-loving stepsister. Jealous. Bitter. And now—dead meat.
Tan Xia's expression turned sharp and serene, a deadly calm settling over her like a blade being drawn.
You threw the wrong person into the fire, sweetheart.
Tan Xia slowly pushed herself upright, her body still aching but no longer paralyzed. She staggered toward the carriage door, steadying herself with one hand against the wooden wall.
Through the small barred window, she caught a glimpse of the outside world.
A dense forest stretched beyond the dirt path, but it wasn't the trees that caught her attention—it was the creatures running through the underbrush. Animals that looked nothing like anything from Earth. Tall, scaled beasts with horns. Bird-like creatures with glowing eyes.
She narrowed her gaze, a frown pulling at her lips.
Huh… So this really isn't Earth.
Turning her attention to the door, her eyes found the lock. It was crude, mechanical—nothing fancy. Her lips curled into a familiar smirk.
This kind of lock? Child's play.
But as her hand moved to her hair, instinctively searching for a pin, her fingers paused. Her smirk faltered.
...Right. I don't have a pin. Great.
Her eyes scanned the carriage, falling on the other captives. Most of them were bound and terrified—but one little girl, barely ten, stared back at her. Despite the panic on her face, her eyes held a flicker of curiosity.
Tan Xia crouched beside her, softening her expression into a gentle smile.
"Hey there," she said in a calm, reassuring voice. "Can I borrow the hairpin in your bun? I promise—I'll get you out of here."
The girl blinked, searching Tan Xia's eyes. Whatever she saw there—strength, sincerity, or something else entirely—made her nod slowly.
Tan Xia gave her a brief nod of gratitude, then plucked the pin with practiced fingers. She stood again and moved to the door, slipping the pin into the lock.
Click.
With a soft turn and a flick of her wrist, the lock popped open like it had been waiting for her all along.
She smirked again, the cold glint in her eyes returning.
I may not be in my own world anymore… but I'm still me.
With a graceful but effortful leap, Tan Xia hoisted herself onto the roof of the moving carriage. The wood creaked beneath her weight as she settled into a crouch, wind brushing past her face. Her arms trembled slightly, and she frowned as she glanced down at them.
Tch… This body really is weak. Then again, according to her memories, she hasn't had a proper meal in two days.
She sighed, shaking off the fatigue. No time for weakness.
Crawling forward across the rocking carriage, she crept to the front edge. Peering down, she spotted two men seated at the front, reins in hand, oblivious to the danger above them.
The slimmer man nudged the fat one with an elbow, glancing back toward the carriage.
"Hey… When you shoved that girl in, did you remember to tie her up?"
The fat man blinked, then slapped his forehead in delayed realization. "Ah—maybe I forgot… but it's fine. The door's shut, what's she gonna do?"
From above, Tan Xia's eyes glinted with contempt.
Oh, you poor bastards. You really have no idea what you've dragged into your little business.
Her fingers quietly tightened around the hairpin she still held.