Apocalypse Travels to the 1980s Tibetan Region, Running into a Top-Level Bloodbath

Chi Fengxi, a top-tier ability user from a post-apocalyptic future, dies after being betrayed by her teammates and dragged apart by zombies. She awakens in the body of a young Han-Tibetan woman of the same name in the spring of 1986, traveling on a minibus toward the Tibetan region. The original owner, weakened by altitude sickness and grief after her mother’s death, had died while carrying her mother’s ashes to return them to their ancestral homeland. Chi Fengxi, possessing a wood-element ability that has weakened to Level One in this new, physically frail body, initially reacts with lethal force when a passenger named Ram attempts to assault her. Her sudden display of strength and a Tibetan knife frightens the other passengers, establishing her as a dangerous and unpredictable figure in this peaceful era.

During the journey, a young man named Sonam shows her kindness, offering water and his warm woolen cloak. Chi Fengxi, cautious and distrustful due to her past betrayals, secretly poisons the group’s milk tea but later removes the toxin when she senses no immediate threat. Upon arriving at the village of Tunba, she learns that the woman she seeks, Laze, is Sonam’s mother. Laze, moved by the letter from Chi Fengxi’s mother, offers her a place in the family, proposing that she marry Sonam and his two brothers in accordance with local polyandrous customs. Chi Fengxi refuses the marriage arrangement outright, stating she will not share a partner, but agrees to stay temporarily as a guest. She recovers from her severe altitude sickness with the help of traditional Tibetan medicine and begins to absorb wood-element energy from the plateau’s vegetation, gradually strengthening her abilities.

As Chi Fengxi integrates into the household, she bonds with Laze’s youngest son, Dorje, and begins teaching him Chinese. Her presence brings a new warmth to the family, though she remains emotionally guarded, viewing relationships through the lens of survival. Sonam, deeply attracted to her, pursues her with persistent devotion, taking her to the winter pasture to teach her horseback riding. During a private moment in the tent, Sonam kisses her passionately, but Chi Fengxi rejects his proposal for marriage, preferring to maintain their romantic connection without the constraints of traditional union. This rejection frustrates Sonam, who is also pressured by his family and community to adhere to the polyandrous tradition.

Conflict arises when Ram, the man Chi Fengxi injured on the bus, confronts Sonam at the pasture, mocking his pursuit of a Han woman and revealing that Sonam’s eldest brother, Zaxi, a military commander, has refused to return home for marriage. Tensions escalate when another local woman, Zongqiong, interrupts Sonam and Chi Fengxi’s intimate moment, revealing her own arranged marriage to a violent family. Sonam dismisses her and declares his intent to marry Chi Fengxi, leading to a physical confrontation with Ram. Despite the growing bond between them, Chi Fengxi continues to resist formal commitment, creating a central emotional conflict. The story concludes with Sonam rushing to defend the herd from a wolf attack, leaving Chi Fengxi alone in the tent, highlighting the ongoing challenges they face in navigating their relationship amidst cultural expectations and personal histories.