Volume One, Chapter Two: Meeting Zilong

Bai Chou glanced at his own camouflage uniform, then at the youth’s grey linen robes. He thought to himself, "The system told me to help one of the factions unify China, but I don't even know what dynasty I am in, let alone what factions exist. Wait, the system said it is the 937th year of the Di Yuan era, but which dynasty in Chinese history ever used 'Di Yuan' as a reign title?"

Just as Bai Chou was lost in his own wild thoughts, the youth stood up and said, "I see you have no external injuries. Since that is the case, I shall be going. There are many wild beasts in this area; you would do well not to stay here."

Bai Chou quickly asked, "Is it currently the 937th year of the Di Yuan era?"

The youth did not stop his pace, merely grunting an "Mm" in response.

Just then, a rustling sound erupted from the nearby woods, followed by a low, guttural animal growl. As the branches and bushes swayed, a golden tiger over three meters in length lunged out.

The tiger seemed to possess a certain intelligence. Its massive head swept over the two men, and sensing that Bai Chou, who was sitting on the ground, would be easier to hunt, it opened its blood-red maw to reveal razor-sharp white fangs. It pressed its front paws into the earth and pounced toward Bai Chou.

Bai Chou cursed silently. If this were two days ago, relying on his special forces physical conditioning and a blade, he might have had a slim chance of taking down a tiger alone, and escaping would certainly have been no problem. But now, having just regained consciousness, he couldn't muster an ounce of strength; even standing up was a struggle. He couldn't help but sigh, realizing there was no hope for a rebirth. He, a top-tier special forces operative, was about to become a beast’s meal the moment he crossed over.

Just as Bai Chou sighed in resignation, preparing to face death once more, the tiger, mid-air, suddenly hit something like an invisible wall. Before it could complete its pounce, it fell heavily to the ground.

"Roar!"

The tiger let out a hiss, twisting its head to look behind it. Its long tail was now being gripped tightly in the youth’s left hand.

Bai Chou was stunned. "So strong!" he thought. "Forget his reaction speed; just look at his raw strength. That tiger must weigh at least 200 kilograms, yet he caught it barehanded! Even at my peak, I could never do this."

The tiger groaned, trying to exert force to break free, but no matter how hard it struggled, it could not move forward an inch. On the gravel path, it left claw marks an inch deep. Seeing it couldn't break free, the tiger twisted its waist and hips, turning to pounce on the youth again.

The youth moved with lightning speed, releasing the tail and dodging to the left. The tiger, failing twice, grew frantic and let out a roar that echoed through the forest, shaking leaves from the trees. It braced its front paws, arched its back, and lunged once more.

Just as the massive claws were about to strike, the youth raised his hands, firmly grabbing both paws. With a fluid turn of his body, he slammed the tiger to the ground and mounted its belly. The tiger struggled to rise, but pinned by the youth’s vice-like grip, it could not move. The youth squeezed with his knees, causing the tiger to howl in pain. Then, he withdrew his right hand and, with a fist the size of a sledgehammer, struck the tiger's head repeatedly.

At first, the tiger shrieked with every blow. After about thirty strikes, blood began to spurt from the tiger's eyes, nose, and ears, and it finally went still.

The youth stood up and, fearing the beast might not be dead, kicked its belly. Finding it motionless, he took a few deep breaths, turned to Bai Chou, and said, "It’s a good thing I didn't leave, or you would have been this beast’s meal today."

Bai Chou watched, baffled. The youth didn't look like a martial artist, yet he had killed a tiger barehanded through sheer reflexes and strength. Not a single person in his Xialong Special Operations Brigade could have achieved such a feat. He had read stories about Wu Song killing a tiger with his bare hands, but he never expected to witness such a shocking spectacle in reality. He opened his mouth, unable to utter a word for a long time.

Seeing Bai Chou silent, the youth spoke as if to himself, "It’s a shame I’m not heading down the mountain. If I could drag this tiger to town, the pelt alone would fetch a good price. Consider this your good fortune." With that, the youth turned to leave.

"Wait!" Bai Chou called out. He grabbed a small tree and pulled himself up. "Brother, my mind is a bit foggy, and I truly don't remember what happened. Could you tell me where this is?"

"This is Wolhu Mountain. Didn't I just tell you there are many beasts here and to be careful?" the youth replied.

Constrained by the system from revealing his identity as a "transmigrator," Bai Chou asked, "Thanks to you, I survived. May I ask your name?"

"My name is Zhao Yun, courtesy name Zilong..."

"You are Zhao Zilong of Changshan?!" Bai Chou exclaimed.

The youth looked surprised. "How did you know I was from Changshan?"

Bai Chou could not suppress his excitement. The legendary hero of the long spear and white horse, the man of infinite courage who charged seven times in and out of Changban—to see him in the flesh was overwhelming. He leaned on the tree, walked toward the youth, and gripped his sturdy arms. "Are you truly Zhao Zilong of Changshan?"

"A man does not change his name, nor does he hide his origins. Why would I lie? But we have just met; how did you know I was from Changshan?" The youth was friendly enough, though he seemed slightly uncomfortable being gripped by another man, yet he did not pull away immediately.

Bai Chou thought, "The name Zhao Zilong of Changshan is far too famous. Who doesn't know it? Not only do I know you as the ancient Zhao Zilong, but I also know that in my time, you’d be the Shijiazhuang Zhao Zilong."

At this thought, Bai Chou let out a soft laugh.

Seeing Bai Chou silent with a mischievous smirk, and recalling how he had stared at his head earlier, the youth decided this strangely dressed man must be mentally unwell. He stepped back, shaking off the hands on his shoulders. "Since you won't explain, so be it. I am leaving."

"Wait!" Bai Chou called out again. "My story is too complicated to explain quickly."

Zhao Yun shook his head, no longer dwelling on how the man knew his origin, and walked briskly down the mountain path.

"Do you have an older brother named Zhao Lei? And is your wife named Ma Yunlu?" Bai Chou shouted.