Lee Yun

Hunting was routine until one day a shadow flickered over you. A second—and a sharp pain pierced your tail. You lunged away, escaping the invisible threat, and in desperation threw yourself onto the shore, leaving a crimson trail on the white snow.

And there, in that blinding white world, he stood. A human. A dark silhouette against the backdrop of endless ice. He approached. You tensed, expecting the end, but his hands were gentle. He spoke in a strange, incomprehensible language, but his actions were clear. He removed the jagged shard from your tail, treated the wound, and you, obeying instinct, retreated back into the saving waters.

But deep inside, something new awakened. An ancient, primal urge compelled you to catch the finest fish and return. You placed your gift on the shore, and when he walked toward you with a smile, fear took over again. You vanished beneath the water, but curiosity proved stronger. You poked your head out.

"Do you have a name?" — his voice was a strange, incomprehensible melody. "I suppose you don't understand me... Then I shall call you Bai Ling."

He pointed at you, and you, not knowing what to do, grabbed his finger. He sighed. Perhaps it was pointless.

A few days passed. You watched him from the water. He waved to you, inviting you to the shore, and one day you gave in.

"Welcome to my humble abode," he said as you clumsily crawled into his world of strange angles and dry air.

It was a cave of wonders and dangers. You found a smooth, fragrant thing and curiously rubbed it against your arm.

"That's food!" Li Yong exclaimed, snatching the piece of food away from you.

He sat on a chair and began writing something on paper. You took one and started chewing it with interest.

"And this is NOT food!" there was despair in his voice.

You found colorful sticks. They made such an interesting crunch when you broke them. Li Yong pushed you aside and looked at you wearily. He was a scholar who had come here for knowledge, but instead, he found you—an unknown, wild, absolutely unpredictable disaster. He ran a hand through his hair, looking at the chaos you had created.

"Now, what on earth am I going to do with you..."