Little Rabbit

The Chaos Era, Year 1818.

The heavy head smashed into the snow with a dull thud, as if even the howling winter wind held its breath in response.

When Xia Lun threw out the Snow Wolf King's head, crusted with frost and dark red blood, the Snow Spirit village fell into a momentary dead silence before erupting into cheers.

"The Snow Wolf King was actually killed!"

"We're safe now! We don't have to live in fear anymore!"

"Thank goodness, we can finally get a good night's sleep."

"Thank you so much, human adventurers... Here is the promised reward."

The Snow Spirit Elder handed over a fist-sized, diamond-shaped crystal.

The Ice Soul Crystal was a translucent pale blue, devoid of any impurities. When faint light pierced through it, the interior of the crystal scattered countless mesmerizing halos of deep blue.

Xia Lun took the Ice Soul Crystal, immediately feeling a faint chill against his skin.

Xia Lun stared at the Ice Soul Crystal in his hand and remained silent for a moment. He was just about to speak when Liyana interrupted him.

"It would be a bit of a pity to sell this thing, wouldn't it?" Liyana snatched the Ice Soul Crystal from Xia Lun's hand and began to play with it, holding it up to the sun to watch it sparkle.

"Of course. An Ice Soul Crystal is definitely a priceless treasure," Moke chimed in.

"But there's only one, and there are five of us. How should we divide it... This thing can't be cut, right?" Liyana toyed with the crystal, letting its icy blue luster dance between her fingers as she glanced over her companions.

"Cutting it would destroy its perfect internal structure, causing the magic inside to easily dissipate," Moke nodded.

"Then let's give it to someone who can use it... Aina, it's yours." Liyana tossed the Ice Soul Crystal through the air in a graceful arc, landing it right into Aina's arms nearby. "Captain Xia Lun, you don't mind, do you?"

"Uh..." Xia Lun was caught off guard.

Xia Lun had actually wanted to advocate for Aina to have it, but considering it was their team's reward, he had to take everyone's feelings into account, making him a bit hesitant to speak up.

Xia Lun looked at Musen and Moke with a hint of apology.

Musen smiled and nodded. "This is fine."

"I don't mind either," Moke shrugged. "We can't use it anyway."

Aina looked at the Ice Soul Crystal in her hands, then glanced at Xia Lun, and finally looked around at her companions with a complex expression.

"Since everyone has agreed, you should accept it."

Aina nodded gently and reached up to pull down the brim of her hood. "Thank you."

This item would indeed be of great benefit to her.

Xia Lun and the others intended to leave, but the Snow Spirits urged them to stay, insisting on hosting them properly for a few days.

Since they might not have many opportunities to visit this place again in the future, coupled with Liyana's relentless pleading, Xia Lun eventually agreed.

"Oh! This is my first time seeing such heavy snow!" Liyana frolicked happily in the snow, packing a snowball and throwing it at Moke.

Moke dodged it by a hair's breadth. The snowball brushed past his cheek, narrowly missing a direct hit to his face.

"Bastard... what are you doing?"

Liyana gave a mischievous grin, and another snowball flew toward Xia Lun.

"Hum—"

A magic barrier erected itself in front of Xia Lun. The snowball smashed against the barrier and instantly disintegrated into fluffy snow powder, rustling down.

"Thank you," Xia Lun said to Aina, slowly releasing his right hand from the hilt of his sword at his waist.

Liyana noticed this detail.

Just now... did this guy instinctively try to draw his sword, intending to slice the snowball in half?

Liyana shrank her neck back. That was too scary; she decided not to play with him anymore.

"Smack—"

While Liyana was distracted, a solid snowball exploded precisely on her face, covering it in freezing slush.

"Hahaha! Serves you right!" Moke pointed at Liyana, laughing gloatingly.

Liyana looked in disbelief at the culprit. "Musen, you actually sneak-attacked me?"

She hadn't expected the usually honest and simple-minded Musen to do such a thing.

"It's fine," Musen grinned, revealing a mouthful of white teeth. "Even if you get hurt, I can heal you."

"Hey!"

A snowball splattered against Musen's large bald head.

"Don't look down on archers, you bastard!" Liyana shouted with the vindictive thrill of revenge.

A great battle was on the verge of breaking out.

At night, a large pot was set up inside the snow house. Various ingredients bobbed up and down in the boiling broth, much like the ups and downs of life.

"Hot, hot, hot—" Liyana popped a piece of fatty meat into her mouth.

"Oh! What kind of meat is this? It's so tender... Full of fat, this is pure bliss..." Liyana covered her mouth as steam billowed out.

"I heard from the Snow Spirits that it's the meat of a pack beast from the snowy plains," Moke said as he ladled a bowl of soup for himself.

The snow house was very large; even with all the members of the Wings of Dawn sleeping here, there was still plenty of space.

"By the way, Moke, how far have things progressed between you and the little rabbit?" Liyana suddenly asked Moke.

It just didn't feel right to eat without chatting about something.

"Huh? Why should I tell you?" Moke rolled his eyes at Liyana.

Liyana continued, "I didn't see you at the tavern at night... You two spent the night together, right? Did you do it?"

"What... what are you talking about! Bastard!" Moke's face flushed crimson. "How is that possible! We aren't even married yet!"

"Ah? You didn't go to an inn? Then you didn't just lie on the grass looking at the stars, did you?"

Moke's fists clenched; this girl had actually guessed it right.

"Liyana!" Xia Lun softly reprimanded her.

"Alright, then I'll just say one last thing... Moke, you might be interested in this." Liyana held up a finger, her face turning serious.

"I have a feeling it's nothing good," Moke grimaced.

"Next time you see Miss Shila, you can try blindfolding her eyes," Liyana said mysteriously.

"Huh? Why?" Moke looked confused.

"I heard that for creatures like rabbits, as long as you cover their eyes, no matter what you do to them, they won't feel much..." Liyana revealed a lewd smile. "And then, you can..."

Moke remained silent, then chased after Liyana to beat her up.

"Ah! Moke, why are you hitting me?"

"I'm doing this for your own good, so you can get the little rabbit faster and have kids early!"

"Stop hitting me... It hurts! Xia Lun, Musen, save me!"

Xia Lun nonchalantly placed a piece of meat into Aina's bowl. After Aina offered a piece of fatty meat to Xia Lun's mouth, she suddenly remembered that Xia Lun's hand was already healed, but Xia Lun had already swallowed it in one bite.

Moke chased Liyana all around the room.

"How many times do I have to say it! Shila is a person, not a rabbit! Not a rabbit!"