Wagging My Tail in the Ice Queen CEO’s Embrace - Chapter 1

H City, downtown area.

On an evening in the first days of the hot season, a rain had just passed, leaving the air thick with stifling humidity.

Office workers hurried home, and the streets quickly became congested, punctuated by the occasional blare of car horns.

Tucked away in a flowerbed on the side of an unvisited shopping mall, a fluffy white ball lay curled up, half its body smeared with yellow mud. Its breathing was rapid as it slowly opened its eyes.

Had she… shaken off the pursuers?

Ming Ying nervously scanned her surroundings. Only when she confirmed there were no pursuers from the hostile faction did she dare to rise.

But as soon as she moved, a sharp pain shot through her right hind leg, causing her to lose balance and tumble down from the flowerbed.

Panicked, she reached out to grab the plants in the flowerbed, only to find that both her hands had turned into grimy fox paws. Stunned, her eyes widened in disbelief.

By the time she regained her senses, she had already fallen to the ground beneath the flowerbed.

As her hind leg touched the ground, another wave of pain struck, forcing a muffled groan from her. She curled up by the edge of the flowerbed, gritting her teeth as she attempted to chant a healing spell. To her horror, what came out was not an incantation but a series of whimpering fox cries, startling her once again.

Realizing she had lost all her spiritual power and turned into an ordinary fox, Ming Ying felt her heart sink. A lump formed in her throat, and tears began to stream down her face.

She, the proud little princess of the Nine-Tailed Clan, had never suffered such humiliation!

Not long ago, while out on an excursion, she had accidentally revealed her identity and attracted the attention of a hostile faction. Not only had she been separated from her attendants, but she had also been struck by an enemy’s spell on her hind leg. In desperation, she had mustered the courage to charge into the “forbidden land” that her enemies feared. The next thing she knew, everything went dark, and she found herself here.

Since childhood, she had always been the most carefree among her siblings. Her outing had been meant to clear her mind, to avoid discussing marriage matters with her mother. But now, looking at her pitiful state, she couldn’t help but feel homesick.

Through her tears, the surroundings seemed to transform into the ancient trees of her home. If she approached, branches would gently lower to cradle her, lifting her up to rest in the cool shade.

Her “living map” attendant, responsible for navigation, was nowhere to be seen. Which way should she go to return home?

Driven by the longing for home, Ming Ying clenched her teeth and dragged her injured leg, limping step by step toward the direction of the setting sun.

She remembered that the Nine-Tailed Clan resided in the westernmost part of the demon realm. So, as long as she walked toward the sunset, she couldn’t go wrong.

She would… definitely make it!

…

Ten minutes later, Ming Ying huddled under a camphor tree in the greenbelt, stepping on a talisman bird that looked no different from a withered leaf, and burst into loud, wailing sobs.

Even though there were no pursuers around, where in the world was this?!

She noticed that the buildings here were taller than the ancient trees of her home. Some were constructed with blue glazed tiles, piece by piece, while others had surfaces embedded with large, glowing bricks. Inside these glowing bricks, people were laughing and moving, strangely shaped liquor bottles spun amidst waves, and even colorful cups topped with white “pine trees” appeared.

The residents here wore bizarre outfits that exposed their arms and legs, even the elderly and young were dressed this way. Ming Ying had never seen any demon clan dressed in such an indecent manner. Were they completely without shame?

Ming Ying watched in fear, no longer daring to continue westward or approach the residents of unknown origins to ask for directions. Instead, she burrowed into a thicket, drained the last remnants of her spiritual energy and some of her blood, and barely managed to summon the plea-for-help talisman bird her mother had left her.

To her dismay, the talisman bird began to “wither” at a visible pace the moment it appeared, crumbling into its current state in the blink of an eye. As soon as Ming Ying’s paw touched it, the bird let out a crisp, loud chirp… then shattered right before her eyes.

Shattered!!

And so, the scene unfolded.

Tears welled in Ming Ying’s eyes as she gathered the remains of the talisman bird, overwhelmed with regret.

During the chase, she had been too focused on fleeing, if only she had used the talisman bird back then! Now, with it destroyed, she couldn’t rely on her clan to bring her home anymore!

Hearing the voices of the foreign residents drawing nearer, Ming Ying didn’t dare linger. She snatched up the talisman bird with her mouth and limped away, her injured leg held awkwardly aloft.

While dodging passersby on the road, she crunched down the talisman bird, which still held traces of spiritual energy, devouring it entirely. This restored a bit of her strength, and she resolved to find a secluded spot away from the crowds, somewhere suitable for recuperating, at the very least.

Lost in her scheming, Ming Ying remained completely unaware that she was becoming a spectacle.

By the time she realized it, she was already surrounded by curious foreign residents, their gazes fixed on her, blocking her path.

Her leg aching, Ming Ying had no choice but to halt, warily eyeing the strangers before her. Suddenly, she noticed they all held a slab about a finger’s thickness.

The upward-facing side of the slab emitted sounds, while the downward side pointed toward her, radiated a blindingly intense light. She had no idea what kind of strange magical artifact it was.

She could sense the foreigners’ keen interest in her, yet they hesitated to get too close, repeatedly pressing on their “light slabs” and occasionally discussing her among themselves.

“Is that a fox?”

“But aren’t foxes supposed to be in zoos? What’s it doing on the street?”

“Does its leg look injured?”

“Maybe we should take it to the nearby zoo. It’s clearly a snow fox, but it’s so filthy… how pitiful.”

“Let me try to catch it.”

“Be careful! Its claws look sharp!”

Ming Ying found she could understand every word they said, but she was baffled by the term “zoo.” As she puzzled over it, a male resident approached her with his light slab, crouched down, and beckoned with a finger, saying, “Come here, little cutie.”

Ming Ying: “…”

How nauseating. Who is he calling?

Seeing her remain motionless, the man paused, thought for a moment, and then tentatively called out, “Woof? Woof woof! Come here!”

Ming Ying froze, realizing he was summoning her as if she were a dog. Feeling her fox dignity insulted, and seeing the man “woofing” while reaching for the back of her neck in an attempt to grab her, she angrily twisted away and swiped her paw at him without mercy.

“Damn it!!” Caught off guard, the man instantly had three bloody scratches on the back of his hand, cursing in pain. “It scratched me!!”

Ming Ying bared her fangs and hissed at him, protecting her injured leg before turning to flee. Shouts of surprise erupted behind her.

“The fox scratched someone!”

“Someone catch it!!”

“Which zoo did this fox escape from?!”

As she ran, Ming Ying felt the pain in her hind leg intensifying. She kept scanning her surroundings, searching for a place with fewer people.

She soon discovered a clearing marked with white rectangular stripes, where many foreign beings stood at both ends, unmoving for some reason, as if waiting for something.

Ming Ying dashed over without hesitation.

Her sudden appearance caused a series of startled cries among the foreign residents. Before she had taken two steps, a long “beep” sounded beside her ear, nearly deafening her.

Ming Ying was terrified, her ears and mind buzzing. As she hastily retreated, a dark blue metal box whizzed past her and inside it seemed to be… half a foreign being?!

A horrifying image flashed through her mind. Frightened, Ming Ying turned and fled, preferring to plunge into the crowd rather than venture near where the metal boxes passed.

How terrifying! No wonder these foreign beings dared not move, the colorful metal boxes devoured people!!

Fear gripped her heart. In her panic, Ming Ying ran too forcefully, and her injured leg instinctively touched the ground but couldn’t bear the weight. The next moment, she twisted her ankle, and the whole fox tumbled to the ground, rolling halfway over.

Excruciating pain shot straight to her bones. Ming Ying whimpered pitifully, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face.

Her leg hurt more and more, but she dared not linger. In her current state, she was probably worse off than a stray dog. Without her spiritual power, she had lost her deterrent effect; any foreign resident could easily bully or humiliate her.

Hearing the voices of the foreign residents drawing closer, she gritted her teeth, wobbled to her feet, and hopped away unsteadily.

After all, she was a descendant of a great demon. Even injured, her stamina was astonishing, and having recently consumed a talisman bird, she made up her mind and ran ceaselessly around the crowd.

By chance, she fled to a subway entrance. Seeing that this “cave” was sparsely populated, with black steps on either side that moved on their own, something she had never seen before, she hesitated briefly before stepping onto a descending staircase.

Ming Ying lay motionless on the black steps. When she reached the bottom and saw an unoccupied passage, she was overjoyed. Limping along the corridor for a while, her view suddenly opened up.

But the next moment, she spotted many foreign residents standing in an area enclosed by iron bars, while a voice repeatedly echoed around her, saying, “Large and small bags, please pass through security.” She had no idea where the voice was coming from.

Ming Ying quickly halted. Before too many people noticed her, she pressed against the wall and hurried back, rushing toward the staircase she had descended without a second thought.

A few people were still on the escalator. They had just arrived when they saw a grimy fox charging up the steps, startling them into wide-eyed surprise. Instinctively, they pulled out their phones to take pictures, but the fox tripped on the downward-moving escalator, falling to the ground with her paws in the air, whimpering pitifully. Seeing them approach, she hastily scrambled to her feet, grumbling and whining.

Ming Ying’s back ached from the fall, but she noticed those people aiming their glowing slate artifacts at her. Forced to struggle upright quickly, afraid of falling again, she avoided the moving black steps and painstakingly climbed the stationary stairs in the middle.

By the time she returned to the surface, she was so exhausted she just wanted to collapse.

Ming Ying had arrived in this world at dusk. After running around and hiding all over, she hadn’t found a suitable place to settle, only to wait for nightfall.

As the city lights began to glow, she dragged her weary body and growling stomach, wandering aimlessly through the streets.

So hungry… Where could she find food?

A night breeze swept by, and Ming Ying eagerly sniffed the air, her eyes lighting up as she was drawn toward an enticing aroma of roasting meat.

She quickly traced the scent to its source, where a group of foreign residents sat around a grill, laughing and chatting as they placed skewers of food over the fire. A sprinkle of seasoning sent a wave of fragrant smoke billowing toward her, making her sneeze and intensifying her hunger.

Ming Ying was so famished she felt dizzy. Slipping into a corner, she noticed plates piled high with meat skewers on a small table behind the foreigners just within her reach. Darting to the nearest plate, she stood on her hind legs, propped her front paws on the edge, and snatched a mouthful of skewers before scurrying away.

But her movements were too abrupt. As she landed, her unsteady back legs knocked the plate over with a clatter, instantly drawing the attention of the foreigners.

Hearing the commotion behind her and shouts to catch her, Ming Ying quickened her pace, racing away as fast as she could.

She never imagined she could run this fast, especially while injured!

Hiding in a deserted alley, Ming Ying panted heavily, enduring the sharp pain in her hind leg as she devoured the hard-won meat skewers.

The meat was still raw, bloody, and unseasoned. It was her first time eating raw flesh, and the taste made her nauseous, nearly causing her to vomit. Forcing herself to swallow, she burst into tears after just one bite.

How she longed for home, for her mother’s sweet pastries and steaming soups.

Raised in comfort and indulgence, she had never been alone outside before. Even when she had stormed off in anger, she had always brought servants to care for her. How would she survive until she found her way back?

Just then, a delicate fragrance caught her attention like the scent of a pine forest in winter.

Turning toward the aroma, she saw a beautiful woman.

Dressed in a long-sleeved top and trousers, the woman was covered from head to toe. Her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her features were striking and dignified. Her deep brown eyes studied Ming Ying with a serious gaze.

The refreshing fragrance emanated from the woman herself.

Noticing the woman held a glowing, tablet-like magical tool, Ming Ying panicked. She dropped the skewers and tried to flee.

But before she could escape, the woman grabbed her by the scruff of her neck.

“Don’t move.”

The woman’s voice was as cool as snow falling from a pine branch, sending a shiver down Ming Ying’s spine.