Re-birth: The Beginning after the End - Chapter 80

Chapter 80: FURTHER EXPLORATION

Their father gathered his farming tools, gave their mother a tender kiss, and headed out to tend the fields. The siblings quickly finished their breakfast and helped their mother clear the table, working with the efficient rhythm of a long-established routine.

In her room, Li Hua changed into a darker set of training clothes, the fabric chosen for both stealth and mobility. She strapped her twin daggers to her waist with practiced precision—their weight a familiar comfort against her hips. The snacks their mother had prepared were already tucked safely away in her space pocket.

She braided her long hair with quick, efficient movements, then slipped on her outer robe—a gift their parents had given all three siblings last year. The dark fabric settled around her shoulders like a living shadow, its specially treated threads adapting to her surroundings.

These weren’t ordinary robes; their mother had spent a small fortune on the rare spirit-infused fabric from the trading caravans last year. She’d sewn them herself, spending countless nights carefully stitching each garment while infusing her own spiritual essence into every seam.

Their father had then added the final touch—a complex array sewn in spirit thread along the inner lining, allowing the robes to respond to both spiritual essence and environment. The result was remarkable: the fabric provided warmth in cold, cooling in heat, and most importantly, allowed the wearer to blend seamlessly with their surroundings.

Li Hua stepped into the courtyard where her brothers were already waiting, their outer robes shifting like living shadows in the morning light. Li Hao wore his signature crooked smirk, the expression making him look even more like their father—all sharp angles and barely contained mischief. His unruly hair caught the sunlight, the dark strands refusing to stay neat despite their mother’s constant attempts to tame them.

Li Wei, on the other hand, stood with one elegant eyebrow raised, his more refined features a perfect reflection of their mother’s noble bearing. Even his posture mirrored her graceful poise, though the slight tilt of his head betrayed his amusement. Both brothers had inherited their parents’ striking good looks, though in distinctly different ways—Li Hao with their father’s rugged handsomeness, and Li Wei with their mother’s classical beauty.

“Took you long enough,” Li Hao called out, his grin widening. “We were starting to think you’d fallen asleep after all that night training.”

Li Wei’s raised eyebrow climbed higher. “You mean you were getting impatient. Some of us understand the value of proper preparation.”

The brothers’ banter filled the courtyard with familiar warmth, chasing away the last lingering shadows of Li Hua’s restless night.

Li Hua’s fist shot out with lightning precision, landing a sharp jab into Li Hao’s stomach that made him double over with an exaggerated “oof.” Before he could recover, she’d already hooked her arm through Li Wei’s, tugging him toward the gate.

“Come on. Let’s make another cool discovery,” she said, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. “I need a few more new daggers.”

“And I need more spirit stones for my arrays,” Li Wei added, matching her stride.

Li Hao straightened up, rubbing his stomach with an exaggerated pout. “Hey, what about me? I want to find another spirit beast egg!” He jogged to catch up, his crooked grin returning despite the lingering ache in his abdomen.

Their mother sat at the wooden table, watching them with that particular mix of fondness and exasperation that only mothers could achieve. Her sharp eyes didn’t miss how Li Hua’s daggers gleamed with an unusual brightness, or how Li Wei’s fingers traced array patterns in the air as he walked, or even how Li Hao’s gaze kept darting to the forest’s edge with barely contained excitement.

“And,” their mother added with a knowing smile, “no more spirit beasts. The last thing this household needs is another mouth to feed, no matter how adorable or useful they might be.”

“Yes, Māmā!” the three siblings chorused in perfect unison, their synchronized response born from years of practice. Li Hao couldn’t resist jabbing an elbow into Li Wei’s ribs, his eyes dancing with mischief.

“Especially you, oh honorable eldest brother. Wasn’t it your ‘perfectly controlled’ array that accidentally attracted those two thunder bunnies last month?”

Li Wei’s dignified expression cracked slightly. “That was a miscalculation in the outer matrix. And need I remind you who ended up chasing them through Mother’s spirit flower garden?”

“The moon blossoms needed replanting anyway,” Li Hao declared with unshakeable confidence, ducking away from Li Wei’s retaliatory swat with practiced ease.

The siblings laughter echoed through the courtyard as they made their way to the forest.

The path to the forest opened before them, worn smooth by countless training sessions and adventures. Trees lined both sides, their branches creating a natural archway that seemed to welcome the siblings’ approach. At their usual spot, where the main path split into several smaller trails, Li Hua turned to her brothers with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Since we’re going in deeper anyway,” she suggested, “how about we explore the east side of the forest?”

“What? But the mist is always so dense in that direction,” Li Hao pointed out, his crooked smirk fading slightly as he glanced toward the distant treeline.

Li Hua crossed her arms, an impish smile playing on her lips. “I could hold your hands if you’re scared,” she offered sweetly, though the glimmer in her eyes suggested she was thoroughly enjoying teasing her older brothers. “After all, it wasn’t me who screamed when that spirit fox jumped out of the bushes last time, Elder brother. Though, I suppose if you need someone to protect you from the scary mist…”

“That wasn’t a scream,” Li Wei protested, his dignified demeanor slipping. “It was a… tactical vocalization.”

Li Hao burst out laughing. “Tactical vocalization? Is that what we’re calling it now? Because I distinctly remember you jumping into my arms like a startled cat.”

“I did not—” Li Wei started, but Li Hua cut him off by mimicking his high-pitched yelp from that day, complete with exaggerated flailing gestures.

“At least I don’t collect every shiny rock I see because it ‘might be a spirit beast egg,'” Li Wei shot back at Li Hao, who immediately stopped laughing and turned red.

“They could have been! The manual said spirit beast eggs often disguise themselves as ordinary objects!”

“The manual also says they pulse with spiritual energy,” Li Hua pointed out helpfully. “Pretty sure regular rocks don’t do that, second brother.”

Both brothers turned to her with matching expressions of mock outrage. “Oh? And I suppose our little sister never makes mistakes?” Li Wei’s voice dripped with playful sarcasm.

“Never,” Li Hua declared, lifting her chin with exaggerated dignity as she stepped toward the misty forest. “Now, are you two brave warriors coming, or should I go find those treasures by myself?”