The sky above the northern frontier was dull and gray.
An endless sea of golden wheat swayed beneath the cold autumn wind, stretching across the plains like rippling waves. Beyond the farmland lay the vast grasslands of the **Iron Gate Frontier**, a harsh borderland separating the **Crimson Sun Empire** from the monster tribes of the northern steppe.
Normally, harvest season should have been a time of celebration.
And yet the village felt like a graveyard.
Gongs and drums echoed through the dirt roads as a wedding procession marched slowly toward a small farmhouse near the edge of the village. Red banners fluttered in the wind, lanterns swayed from wooden poles, and laughter echoed through the air.
But none of the villagers smiled.
Every human face was pale with fear.
No one dared to speak.
Ren Hao lowered the sickle in his hand and slowly straightened his back, wiping sweat from his forehead.
At six feet tall, his frame towered above most of the villagers, whose average height barely reached his shoulders. His modern physique and pale skin made him stand out among the weary frontier farmers.
He looked toward the wedding procession in the distance.
Even from over a hundred meters away, his eyes could clearly see everything.
Ever since arriving in this strange world, Ren Hao's senses had become unnaturally sharp.
And what he saw made his stomach turn.
The bridegroom… was not human.
A sleek crimson mare stood at the front of the procession, her powerful legs striking the dirt road with rhythmic clops. But above the horse's body rose the elegant torso of a woman.
Her long red hair flowed like flames in the wind, and her golden eyes gleamed with pride.
A **centaur**.
Dozens more surrounded her.
They wore fur cloaks and leather armor, curved blades hanging at their waists and hunting bows slung across their backs. Their laughter was loud and triumphant as they escorted the wedding party toward the farmhouse.
The humans of the village trembled.
The centaurs ruled this land.
And humans were nothing more than slaves.
The red-haired centaur stopped in front of the farmhouse gate and slammed her hooves against the wooden door.
"Open up!" she shouted cheerfully. "Today is my wedding day!"
Her voice was full of excitement.
"Your empire abandoned this land years ago," she continued. "But I still followed your human customs. I chose a lucky day. I prepared a proper ceremony."
She kicked the door again.
"So come out already, Father!"
Silence filled the air.
Then, from inside the house, a trembling voice spoke.
"You… you're my daughter," the old man said weakly. "How could I marry my own child?"
The centaur frowned as if confused.
"That's normal on the steppe," she replied. "If the tribe needs children, then family must continue the bloodline. Isn't that obvious?"
Her hooves slammed against the gate again.
The wooden door shattered.
The villagers watched helplessly as she entered the house and dragged the old man outside.
Ren Hao clenched his fists.
He had been in this world for only a few weeks, yet he had already seen things that would haunt him forever.
Skinned bodies hanging from scarecrows.
Human slaves whipped in the fields.
Villagers dragged away by monsters.
The northern frontier was a nightmare.
He still remembered the moment everything changed.
One second he had been sitting in his apartment, studying historical battle strategies for a strategy game.
The next moment he woke up in this village.
A transmigrator.
That was the only explanation.
Unfortunately, he had arrived in the worst place imaginable.
The **Iron Gate Frontier** had once been part of the **Crimson Sun Empire**.
But decades ago the imperial army retreated south, abandoning the northern lands to monster tribes.
Now the centaurs ruled everything.
Humans survived only as slaves.
Seventy percent of every harvest was taken as tribute.
Anyone who resisted… died.
Ren Hao had been planning his escape ever since he arrived.
Fortunately, he had discovered something important.
The village was not far from imperial territory.
If he could steal a horse and ride south across the plains, he might reach the empire.
And tonight was the perfect opportunity.
The centaur tribe was celebrating their wedding.
By midnight, most of them would be drunk.
Ren Hao slowly returned to his hut as darkness fell across the plains.
Hours passed.
The village fell silent.
Moonlight spread across the fields.
Ren Hao opened his eyes.
It was time.
He quietly gathered a small bag of dried grain and slipped out of his hut.
The centaur camp was filled with drunken laughter and snoring.
Using the shadows for cover, he crept toward the livestock pens.
A strong steppe horse stood tied to a wooden post.
Ren Hao fed it a handful of beans and gently untied the rope.
Moments later, he swung onto its back.
The horse bolted into the night.
The wind roared in his ears as he galloped across the plains, racing toward freedom.
But his escape did not last long.
Suddenly—
A powerful hand seized the horse's reins.
The animal screeched to a halt.
Ren Hao nearly fell from the saddle.
In front of him stood a towering figure clad in black armor laced with crimson cords.
Moonlight revealed a breathtakingly beautiful woman.
Two curved **dragon horns** rose from her head.
Her eyes were cold and sharp like blades.
She looked down at him with overwhelming authority.
"Stop."
Her voice was calm but carried the weight of a battlefield commander.
"I am **General Lady Feng — the Dragonblood Valkyrie**, commander of the Northern Frontier Legion."
Behind her, dozens of soldiers emerged from the trees.
Humans.
Orcs.
Winged warriors.
All wearing the armor of the **Crimson Sun Empire**.
Lady Feng studied Ren Hao for a moment before speaking again.
"Now," she said coldly.
"Tell me who you are… and why you are fleeing through imperial territory in the middle of the night."