Deep within the secluded forest, the two great kings were enduring a miserable, impatient wait.
"Brother, that arrogant little pig has moved into Xiao Wu's house! What in the nine hells do we do now?"
The Titan Giant Ape, Da Ming, was a portrait of repressed violence. His massive fists clenched and unclenched, his joints snapping and popping like distant thunder. He paced in frustrated circles, churning the earth beneath his feet.
"What else can we do? We wait," the Sky Blue Bull Python, Er Ming, hissed, his enormous bull head resting unhappily on a rock. He couldn't, under any circumstances, show up at Yanrou's peaceful cottage to engage in a physical altercation. That was simply outside the rules of engagement and would only infuriate Xiao Wu. "I don't believe he'll stay cooped up forever!"
"Brother Shengming (Wise Brother)!" Da Ming muttered, though the patience was clearly strained. He made a vow to himself: the instant that golden menace stepped outside, he would teach him the true colors of the forest—starting with red.
In the small, bomb-cratered yard in front of the bamboo house, Zhu Hao held up the Ghost Tiger's enormous tail.
"This is..." Zhu Hao began, ready to deliver a scientific-yet-sarcastic explanation of animal anatomy.
BOOM!
Before he could finish, a sharp pain blossomed on the top of his head. Yan Rou, with deceptively gentle strength, had landed a perfect, light tap.
"Xiao Hao, stop bullying Xiao Wu!" Yan Rou scolded, her fair, soft hand resting on his furry head. She'd instantly recognized the bloody appendage he was presenting. Asking Xiao Wu if that thing "looked like a carrot" was simply cruel.
"Oh!" Zhu Hao immediately retracted his paw, adopting the look of a very cute, very scolded baby who had made an innocent mistake. He knew when to retreat.
"Mom, but what is this?" Xiao Wu was more curious than angry now, twisting to look at her mother.
"You'll know when you grow up," Yan Rou replied vaguely, grabbing the Ghost Tiger meat and heading into the house to prepare it.
"Mom, I'm not a kid anymore! I'm even bigger than the little pig! Why can he know and I can't?" Xiao Wu chased after her, stomping her foot in indignation.
Yan Rou stopped, turned, cast a quick, meaningful glare at Zhu Hao (which earned her another Experience +1), and then bent down to whisper a hushed explanation to Xiao Wu.
"Oh! Little Pig, I'll kill you!"
Xiao Wu's pink fur immediately turned a shocking crimson. She shrieked, her voice high and furious, and rushed toward Zhu Hao, her little paws swinging wildly. He had deliberately tried to make her disgusted with her favorite food! The audacity!
"Sister Yan Rou, help! Someone is committing murder!" Zhu Hao yelled, letting out a strangely theatrical cry as he darted away.
Yan Rou simply rolled her eyes and ignored them. You reap what you sow, little pig.
"See where you're running to!" Xiao Wu reached her maximum speed. She knew she had to corner him on the ground; if he used his Flying Eight Wings, she'd be helpless. Her initial attack was a furious, thundering attempt to capture him.
"So fast!" Zhu Hao noted, impressed, but still easily outmatched. The top speed he had shown them while flying was only a fraction of his real velocity.
However, Zhu Hao decided not to fly. He had a better idea.
"Little Pig, you can't run away now!" Xiao Wu was beside herself with triumph as her claws scraped near his golden fur. "Can't you fly? Fly one more time for Sister Xiao Wu to see, huh?"
SWISH!
Just as Xiao Wu was about to grab him, Zhu Hao's figure plunged downward. In an instant, he vanished beneath the earth without a trace.
"Hey! Where did you go?" Xiao Wu skidded to a stop, stamping her foot in frustration. The ground was untouched.
The Earth Escape magical power was far superior to simple digging; his body blended seamlessly with the stone and soil, leaving no evidence of entry.
"What an astonishing skill!" Yan Rou, who had been watching the chase with amusement, was genuinely shocked. She could only guess he had gone underground, but the complete lack of trace was baffling.
"Lord Pig is here!"
A furry little golden head popped out of the ground right behind Xiao Wu. Zhu Hao stuck his tongue out and shouted proudly.
SWISH!
Xiao Wu's figure flashed, and her furious pink fist slammed down onto the spot where the pig's head had been a millisecond before.
BUMP!
The ground shook, and a fresh, round hole appeared.
"Lord Pig is here!"
Zhu Hao popped his head out of the ground three feet to the left.
BUMP!
"Pi—" Before Zhu Hao could finish the word, a pink fist came down on his head.
BUMP!
"Pig—"
BUMP!
Xiao Wu's speed was terrifyingly fast, and she was learning his patterns. As soon as his head appeared, her fist was there to greet him.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The yard in front of the bamboo house devolved into a bizarre, high-speed game of whack-a-mole . A pink rabbit raced around like lightning, instantly punching every golden bear head that popped out of the ground.
"This is so much fun!" Xiao Wu was laughing uncontrollably, having completely forgotten her original mission to inflict pain.
"I want to play too!" Xiao Liu, the big white rabbit, ran over, her eyes sparkling with competitive interest, and joined the fray.
The game of whack-a-mole quickly turned into a chaotic, two-rabbit endeavor.
"They're going to tear down the house!" Yan Rou, watching from the kitchen, smiled helplessly as she cooked. The originally flat yard was now a treacherous minefield of fresh holes and scattered soil. "It's all going to be a giant trap for when the Titan Ape visits!" she mused with a playful darkness.
"Xiao Hao, Xiao Wu, Xiao Liu, dinner is ready!" Yan Rou called out half an hour later.
The fun was over. Xiao Wu and Zhu Hao, both breathing heavily, collapsed from laughter and exhaustion, their previous grievances completely forgotten in the joy of the game.
After dinner, Zhu Hao stayed behind.
"Sister Yan Rou, Lord Zhu wants to sleep with you!" Zhu Hao purred, leaning into Yan Rou's arms and rolling around in a perfect imitation of a spoiled, attention-seeking child.
"Little mouse, get out of here! That's my spot!" Xiao Wu, already possessive, glared fiercely at him. He was trying to steal her mother's affection and her sleeping spot!
"Wooo wooo, Grandpa Pig is afraid of the dark," Zhu Hao whined, turning on the waterworks. "Grandpa Pig doesn't dare to sleep when it's dark, for fear that he'll be eaten by other Soul Beasts when he wakes up..."
The victim act was superb. Xiao Wu's anger evaporated, replaced by the profound pity she felt for the orphaned bear. He's been without a mother since childhood. How pitiful he must be.
Yan Rou, too, was overcome with maternal love. She reached out and rubbed Zhu Hao's head comfortingly. "Xiao Hao, it's okay. It's all over now. No one will bully you anymore."
"Experience +2"
"Sister Yan Rou, you are so kind!" Zhu Hao burrowed his head deeper into her arms, his big eyes glistening with feigned sincerity.
"Don't worry, Xiao Hao. Sister Xiao Wu will protect you from now on!" Xiao Wu promised in a big-sisterly tone, puffing out her chest.
Yan Rou eventually carried both rabbits and the pig back to the room.
"Experience +3"
"Experience +3"
"Experience +3"
Zhu Hao lay nestled comfortably in Yan Rou's soft arms, watching the stream of Experience Points flow steadily. His heart was filled with pure joy.
"I might be able to level up again by the time I wake up tomorrow!"
Zhu Hao thought happily before drifting off into a sweet, peaceful sleep.
...
"Little Pig!"
The next morning, Zhu Hao was sleeping soundly, deep in a sweet dream, when a familiar, angry lion's roar exploded directly in his ear.
"Ah! What happened?! Is a Soul Beast attacking?!" Zhu Hao woke instantly, his body rigid, shouting in alarm.
Xiao Wu's initial angry expression softened slightly. He's even worrying about Soul Beasts attacking in his sleep. He truly must have had a rough life. Yan Rou's eyes filled with pity, and she gently rubbed Zhu Hao's head again.
"Little Pig, you drooled while sleeping and soaked my mother's clothes!" Xiao Wu declared, pointing an accusatory pink paw directly at Yanrou's chest.
Zhu Hao breathed a huge sigh of relief. Ah, the acting worked! His quick wit had saved him from another chase.
"Sister Yan Rou, please forgive me! Lord Pig will wipe it for you!"
He was secretly congratulating himself, but he still had to play the part. He looked at Yan Rou with wide, innocent eyes and extended a tiny, cleaning-ready paw.
BAM!
Yan Rou slapped his outstretched paw away with a sharp, swift motion. "No need for you to wipe it! Get up!" she snapped, standing up abruptly and leaving the room with unusual haste, clearly flustered.
"Yes, ma'am!" Zhu Hao leaped out of bed and immediately checked his stats. The stream of overnight Experience had been incredible: 300 points! He was ecstatic.
He turned to the door, watching Yan Rou's hasty exit with a puzzled expression. "Lord Pig never drools when he sleeps..."
A sudden flash of inspiration hit him. He remembered the dream: he had been back in his infancy, cradled in his mother's arms, and then... the dream had taken a very pleasant, very wet turn.
"Oh, if only Lord Pig hadn't been asleep!"
Zhu Hao slapped his own tiny, golden thigh, filled with a massive wave of regret and annoyance. He had missed the full, conscious enjoyment of the experience!