Among the endless sharp rocks, beneath a sky saturated with deep crimson like congealed blood, a silver spark suddenly ignited. It expanded, tearing through the fabric of space, and a human figure materialized in the center of the light.
A girl in a form-fitting silver-white suit landed softly on the rocky ground. She couldn't be called a standard beauty, but there was a particular charm about her. A thin layer of white-gold light shimmered around her body — a mental barrier protecting against the hostile environment.
The girl looked slowly around her, carefully assessing the surrounding space.
"Student Qin Ye, do you read me?" A man's voice sounded in her ear, cutting through interference.
"Reception is excellent. Connection is stable," Qin Ye replied in an even tone.
Animated voices and brief exchanges immediately came through on the other end of the line. Several people spoke at once, a short argument broke out. Then a sharp command — and the line fell silent again.
"Excellent. Follow the plan. Your mission — survey the terrain, check for signs of life, collect research material. At threat level three or above — exit the rift immediately."
"Understood. Beginning mission."
Qin Ye closed her eyes and instantly released her Mental Power. An invisible wave spread in all directions — and immediately met resistance. The girl frowned slightly.
The energy here is too chaotic and foul. It interferes with normal Mental Power use. And the atmosphere itself is saturated with bloodlust and a death aura.
In the next instant a black matte cube materialized in her palm.
Qin Ye crouched and carefully placed her hand on the ground, feeling the cold, rough texture beneath her fingers.
Hard... This isn't ordinary stone. It's closer to metal.
She set the cube on the surface. It flared with a soft light and began slowly sinking into the ground. Several seconds later the device had fully disappeared, leaving a perfectly even indentation — then rose back up just as smoothly.
"Sample collected," a flat mechanical voice sounded directly from the cube.
Grabbing the device, Qin Ye instantly vanished, reappearing exactly five meters behind her previous position.
"So there is life here..." she whispered, looking at the spot where she had been standing.
Before her stood a creature that resembled a cross between a wolf and a dog. Its fur was deep as darkness itself, and its crimson eyes blazed with an ominous light, reflecting the scarlet sky.
"R-r-r-r..." A low, threatening growl.
Qin Ye's eyes narrowed. She calmly raised her hand.
In the next instant the creature froze, as though rooted to the ground. Its muscles tensed, its gaze remained sharp and hostile — but its body couldn't move an inch.
"Captain Lin, hostile life form detected. Externally resembles a cross between a wolf and a dog. Threat level — five. Danger minimal."
"Capture alive," Captain Lin ordered briefly.
A strange black cloth appeared in Qin Ye's hands. Its surface was covered in complex formation arrays, faintly shimmering with silver light.
She stepped closer and draped it over the creature.
The cloth flared with soft light — and in the next instant the black dog was gone. Folding the item, Qin Ye put it away in a storage ring.
After that she continued moving through the rocky mountains, collecting samples of dried plants, water, and soil.
One hour later.
A stunned Qin Ye observed a human figure in the distance — roughly five kilometers away.
A person sat by a fire, and beside them rose a mountain of bones. Enormous, gnawed, and charred. Qin Ye went still for a moment, then quickly composed herself and activated the communication channel.
"Captain Lin, a creature has been detected. By external indicators — identical to a human."
Surprised exclamations were clearly audible on the other end. Several voices spoke simultaneously, a dispute broke out. Then a sharp bark of authority — and the line went quiet again.
"Student Qin Ye, this is Colonel Xin speaking. Listen carefully. Do not approach. Maintain covert observation. Contact is authorized only upon confirmation that the subject is sapient." A firm, commanding voice.
"Understood, Colonel."
She concealed herself behind a rocky outcrop. Even from this distance she could make out details clearly.
The man sat with his back to her. Beside him, carelessly driven into the ground, stood a silver sword covered in notches. He wore only primitive trousers made from coarse hide. His back was striped with scars.
Hmm... Fire, a weapon, clothing... so he has craft skills. But the level of development is primitive. Are there actually wild people living in this rift?
Suddenly the figure by the fire vanished.
Simply dissolved into the air. No flash of teleportation, no fluctuation of spiritual power. He was there — and then he wasn't.
"What?..." Qin Ye's pupils contracted. "Where did he—"
A chill ran down her spine. She clearly felt someone else's breath behind her.
Her reaction was immediate.
She leapt ten meters back in an instant, dropping into a combat stance.
"That fast? When did he—"
Now she could see him from the front and take in his appearance fully.
His skin had a strange tone — light, but at times it caught a bronze sheen. Long black hair was tangled and tied back with a dirty green strip of cloth. His face and chest were coated in a crust of dried blood and dirt.
Qin Ye watched him guardedly, tracking every movement.
No energy of any kind coming from him. On the surface — like an ordinary person.
The young man standing across from her was staring at her with wide open eyes. In his gaze, bewilderment and disbelief swirled together. He seemed to be trying to process what he was seeing.
A person?... Here?...
The thought struck his mind like lightning. Ten years. Ten years during which he had seen nothing but monsters and his own reflection in pools of blood.
Only now did he truly feel it. The rocky mountains still surrounded him. This still wasn't his world. But—
"Heh-heh... heh-heh-heh..."
He had seen a person. Another human being.
"Ha-ha-ha!"
He laughed and laughed, like a madman.
"Uha-ha-ha-ha!"
Qin Ye's frown deepened.
He's laughing? Why is he laughing?
The laughter cut off just as abruptly as it had begun.
The young man vanished from her field of vision again.
She had no time to track the movement before he was beside her — his hand had closed around her wrist.
Qin Ye was already about to press the emergency teleportation button when an unexpectedly joyful, almost ecstatic voice sounded.
"A person!" he breathed. There was no threat in his voice — only awe. "You're actually a person!"
"What—" Qin Ye went still. She looked into his eyes — in them she could see genuine joy and hope, plain and unmistakable.
"...Yes, I'm a person." Qin Ye tried to pull her hand back. Useless. He wasn't holding her aggressively — he held her the way a drowning person holds a lifeline.
Qin Ye looked closely at the agitated young man and asked.
"Do you understand me?"
He stared at her as though the question itself was absurd.
"Of course. You're a person, I'm a person. We're talking. Naturally I understand you."
He didn't take his eyes off her, as though if he looked away even for a moment she would dissolve like a mirage.
He was still holding her hand. Not aggressively, but firmly.
She's small. Or am I tall?
They fell silent.
Two people looked at each other in silence for several more minutes.
Until the young man broke it.
"Umm... What's your name?"
He hadn't spoken to another person in ten years — and though his language was clean, his voice was slightly awkward and stilted.
Qin Ye looked at him silently. In reality, she was communicating with headquarters at this very moment, making her report.
"The subject has made contact. Target is sapient, no aggression. But emotionally unstable behavior... Threat level cannot be established yet."
"Student Qin Ye, in that case, establish contact. Determine the structure of this world, the presence of civilization and sapient beings." Colonel Xin issued his order.
"Understood," she responded mentally.
On the other side, the young man slapped his own forehead with his free hand, spreading a crooked but genuine smile.
"Right! Father taught me... to introduce yourself first. My name is Hao Ming. Hao as in Cold, Ming as in Face."
Qin Ye gave a brief nod and answered, not taking her eyes off him.
"I'm Qin Ye. Qin as in Clear, Ye as in Mind."
The language is the same, and the meaning of the characters too... That's strange. It's too much for coincidence.
Hao Ming, hearing her response, smiled even wider. He shook her hand enthusiastically.
"Pleased to meet you. Very pleased."
Qin Ye remained composed and measured. But her tone was noticeably gentle.
"Hao Ming, where do you live? Is there a city or some kind of settlement here?... Other people?"
"No. In this place, there's none of that. I'm the only person here," he answered without a care.
"What—" Qin Ye's mask of composure cracked for a moment. This was not how she had expected things to develop.
"You... How did you get here? Do you know how to get out?" Hao Ming asked, his voice filling with hope and anticipation.
But Qin Ye didn't answer. Instead she asked another question.
"Then — were you born here?"
Hao Ming grabbed his chin and closed his eyes, as though trying to gather his memories.
"No... I wasn't born here. This world is inhabited only by monsters. And how I ended up here... I can't remember anymore."
The girl's eyes flickered slightly.
Could he have come through a rift? And how long has he been here, if he can't even remember that?
"Do you remember where you're from? Perhaps the name of a country, or a world?"
Hao Ming thought again — his head felt as though it was filled with sand. After several minutes he answered.
"I'm from... Oh, I can't even remember. But I remember that my world was different. Peaceful and beautiful. Every person there had what was called a Battle Soul, and there were also people endowed with Spiritual Power — they were called Spirit Masters. Hmm... and it was governed by the Douluo Federation."
Hearing his answer, Qin Ye's eyes widened.
He's... He's from the Federation! But how did he get here? Could a rift have appeared somewhere on the Mother Planet that pulled him in?
She relayed everything immediately. The news sent headquarters into a stir.
"Student Qin Ye, hear my order. You are to secure this person to a Spatial Anchor. A group of Spirit Masters led by a Titled Douluo will be standing by at the rift. I authorize you to inform the subject of your actions."
"Understood."
"Hao Ming, I'll answer your earlier question. I'm from the same world as you. The Federation is currently studying this rift. I can pull you out of this place."
"Really? You're not lying?"
"I'm not lying. But you need to do as I say."
Hao Ming's eyes blazed. He seized the girl in an embrace, lifting her off the ground.
"Of course! I'll agree to anything — just get me out of here."
Qin Ye, pressed against the savage's dirty chest, grimaced — but said nothing.
He's probably been here so long he's forgotten how to behave around people.
"All right," she said. "First let go of me and put me down."
Hao Ming nodded and obediently did as he was told.
"And my hand — let go of that too."
"No," Hao Ming answered simply.
Qin Ye sighed. There was no time to argue.
Fine. The mission comes first.
A silver bracelet appeared in her hand. A click — and it snapped shut around Hao Ming's wrist.
"Colonel Xin, the subject is secured. We are ready for transfer." She pressed the button on her belt.
In an instant, two figures vanished in a flash of silver light.