Chapter 1 Transmigrated Into a Rare Female

In the heart of a primeval forest, three suns blazed in the sky, their rays filtering through the dense canopy, casting countless speckled patches of light onto Tessa Norman's pale face. Years of malnutrition had left her thin and frail, her body curled up in sleep, an instinctive posture of deep insecurity. A massive, striped tiger lay nearby, its posture protective. Not far away, an entire pack of wolves stood guard. The alpha, positioned closest to her, stared at her with unblinking, vertical pupils—its wild gaze carrying an unexpected hint of gentleness. Hidden among the trees, several muscular leopards watched their surroundings with vigilance, ready to defend against any intruder that dared disturb Tessa's rest. Suddenly, the deafening roar of an engine shattered the tranquil forest. A massive object descended from the sky, sending birds and beasts scattering in all directions. Only the creatures protecting Tessa remained, though they, too, were startled. Their fangs bared, and they prepared to drive away the intruders. A massive airborne ship landed and came to a steady halt. As its hatch opened, a squad of fully armed soldiers marched out in precise formation. Their mission was to mine resources under the Empire's jurisdiction on this planet. It was a long-term operation, one they had each carried out numerous times before. But this time, something completely unexpected had happened. "What the hell? A pack of predators?" "Tigers, wolves… and leopards? Am I seeing things? Why would these animals be gathered together?" Different species rarely formed alliances, especially apex predators. Each had its own territory, and under normal circumstances, they would tear each other apart rather than coexist peacefully. "Look over there! They're surrounding something. Could it be some kind of treasure?" From their vantage point, the soldiers couldn't see what the beasts were guarding so fiercely. They speculated that it might be an undiscovered mineral deposit or a rare medicinal plant—something valuable enough to draw such formidable protectors. As they stepped closer, the animals grew restless, their growls low and menacing, warning them not to advance. Then, the soldiers finally caught sight of the figure at the center of the beasts. "Dear god! That's a female!" "A female? No way! Tell me I'm not dreaming!" "Holy sh*t! How could a female be on a primordial planet?" "We need to get those beasts away from her—just make sure she doesn't get hurt!" A tense standoff ensued. The soldiers, mindful of preserving the planet's ecosystem, refrained from using firearms. The wild animals, as if sensing their lack of hostility—and perhaps recognizing them as two-legged beings like Tessa—seemed to reach some unspoken understanding. With lingering reluctance, they cast a few final glances at Tessa before retreating into the forest. It was only then that the soldiers realized that the beasts hadn't been threatening the female. They had been protecting her. "This is a miracle…" "I can't believe it. Are those really just low-intelligence wild species? Not therians?" "Maybe we should report this. Those creatures might need to be reclassified…" But their immediate priority was ensuring the safety of the female. The mining operation would have to wait. The warship returned to base. As soon as word spread that the squad had rescued a female, Major General Alexander Lyon, the highest-ranking officer at the base, personally went to investigate and reported the matter to his superiors. "Her physical condition is quite poor," said Jacob Lloyd, the base's chief medical officer. Flipping through Tessa's medical report, he hadn't stopped frowning. "Her bone age indicates she's only 20. She's severely malnourished, and her body has multiple old wounds… "I suspect this is a serious case of female abuse," he concluded icily. "The soldiers found her on an uninhabited resource planet. They said she was surrounded by wild beasts at the time. This isn't just abuse—it's abandonment! This is an attempt on a rare female's life!" Alexander was equally enraged. He looked at the girl sleeping peacefully inside the medical pod. Her small, delicate face was no bigger than his palm, her sharp chin tinged with a soft pink hue. Her petite frame made her seem as fragile as a budding flower trembling in the wind, so dainty that a single touch might shatter her. So frail, so beautiful—so worthy of protection. There are surely countless males who will lay down their lives to keep her safe. The Empire's gender ratio had already reached a staggering 1 to 79, with the disparity still worsening. He couldn't believe that, in such dire circumstances, someone had actually committed the heinous act of abandoning a female. Inside the medical pod, Tessa's eyelashes fluttered slightly before she slowly opened her eyes. Her head felt dizzy. The sensation wasn't unfamiliar—years of malnutrition had left her with severe hypoglycemia, causing her to faint often. She remembered the moment before she lost consciousness. She had been called home from work by her grandmother, only to learn that her family had arranged a marriage for her. They had already accepted betrothal money of 400,000 from a middle-aged man—greasy, overweight, and on his second marriage. She had refused, of course, but it was too late. They locked her inside, depriving her of food and forbidding her from leaving. After a week of starvation, when she still refused to agree to the marriage, they decided to send her directly to the man's home, where she would have no choice but to submit. On the way, she finally found an opportunity to escape, but after being starved for so long, she didn't get far before she collapsed. So… where am I now? Had I been caught? Is this that disgusting man's house? The room before her was cold and sterile, like a hospital ward. Strange machines surrounded her, and she was enclosed inside one of them. Not far away, two men were engaged in conversation. They had noticed she was awake. They seemed surprised. The man in the white coat stepped forward and opened the medical pod, his gaze filled with concern. "You're finally awake. Are you feeling any discomfort?" Faced with an unfamiliar man—one who, despite being more handsome than any celebrity she had ever seen—Tessa instinctively shrank back. Noticing her fear, the man looked visibly remorseful. He immediately lowered his head, his voice as gentle as possible, hoping to ease her anxiety. "There's no need to be afraid. You're in the 286th Regiment of the Silvermane Legion. I am Jacob Lloyd, the chief medical officer. You've been rescued. No one will harm you anymore." Tessa was rather confused. Since when did the military interfere in arranged marriages? But she quickly realized something was wrong. She had never heard of the Silvermane Legion. And the man in the white coat—this so-called chief medical officer—was treating her far too well. He wasn't just being kind; he was being respectful. She was nothing more than an ordinary citizen. In fact, given the dysfunctional family she had been born into, her life had been worse than most. What could possibly warrant such deference from someone so distinguished? Her gaze shifted past the doctor, landing on the other man in the room. So… tall! He had to be at least 6'3"—broad-shouldered, imposing, and dressed in a crisp military uniform. A cap sat atop his cleanly cropped golden hair. His amber eyes were piercing, his features sharp and commanding. He looked like a lion—majestic and powerful. Then, that lion of a man bowed slightly before her. "I am Major General Alexander Lyon, the highest-ranking officer here. May I have the honor of knowing your name?" At that moment, Tessa finally snapped to full awareness. Something was seriously wrong. She had… transmigrated.