Chapter 51: A Small Reunion and a Big Secret

A pleasant surprise washed over Lin Ling as he held the unexpectedly arrived Wangzai and Little Pangolin.

He had been quite concerned about their injuries, but witnessing their vibrant, unharmed state instantly lifted his spirits from their earlier gloom.

It seemed his decision to heed Bisika’s advice and imbue them with teleportation magic had been remarkably astute. Though Lin Ling had previously ‘sparred’ with the two creatures, their relationship had become quite harmonious after Bisika tamed them, fostering a genuine affection.

Primarily, their newfound cuteness after shrinking had melted his heart.

“You truly went to a great deal of trouble for this,” Lin Ling said, offering a customary polite remark as he gently set down Wangzai and Little Pangolin.

“A trifle!” Bisika declared. With a flick of her wrist, she released Little White from her restraints, and the three adorable pets immediately tumbled into a playful wrestle, clearly on the best of terms.

“Speaking of which,” Lin Ling mused, his gaze drifting towards a few other, slightly unfamiliar small animals. They were curiously scampering about the room. Fortunately, they didn’t appear to be dirty; otherwise, Lin Ling would have surely bristled.

“Have these few been trained to be so well-behaved too?”

Bisika merely smiled, offering no words, yet the smug expression in her eyes did not escape Lin Ling’s notice. Slowly, Bisika raised a hand and snapped her fingers. In the next moment, the few small animals that had been haphazardly darting around instantly lined up before Bisika, chests puffed out in a remarkably disciplined manner. The formation, of course, included Wangzai and Little Pangolin, who had just been frolicking with Little White.

Wow!

Sometimes, Lin Ling truly wondered how Bisika achieved such feats. These creatures, once so untamed and defiant, had become utterly obedient in a mere matter of days.

“Amazing, Sister Bi! How exactly do you do it?”

“Trade secrets are not to be divulged! Hehehe,” Bisika replied, crossing her legs with an air of triumphant self-satisfaction.

‘Trade secrets, huh… trade… trade…?’

What exactly did this girl do in her spare time? The thought sent shivers down his spine.

“Oh, that’s right!” Bisika exclaimed, pointing at the young man collapsed on the floor. “Who is this fellow?”

Lin Ling glanced at the unconscious Lin Hui, lying sprawled on the ground, a helpless sigh escaping him. Yet, he knew there was no reasoning with Bisika. “Sigh, he’s my brother. My real brother.”

Upon hearing this, Bisika floated above Lin Hui, scrutinizing his face before pouting. “So weak… and he doesn’t resemble you at all, Little Seven.”

‘…Er, of course he doesn’t resemble the current me.’

Lin Ling massaged his temples, looking at Bisika as she floated closer. “Please, he’s just an ordinary Blue Star human. And my body was shaped by the Mother Goddess, wasn’t it? It’s completely normal for us to look different.”

“But if he’s too weak, he’ll probably be gone in less than fifty or sixty years. Without spiritual energy, a lifespan is truly fleeting.”

“Indeed,” Lin Ling murmured. Compared to his own eternal existence, the lifespans of his loved ones were agonizingly brief. Even if he could ensure they lived free of illness, he would still have to watch them depart after a mere hundred years. The thought was truly difficult to accept.

“Do you not intend to tell him the truth? Having a family member in the know might not be a bad option for you,” Bisika inquired further.

“While that’s true, let me consider it a little longer,” Lin Ling replied, then sprawled out lazily on the sofa.

His parents had always taught him to confide in his family when facing difficulties, to never hide things, and that problems could be solved together. However, the current situation was different. Having become the Battle Sovereign, Lin Ling understood the existence of mind-reading abilities.

He constantly worried that if he were to go on a mission one day and an enemy powerhouse came to Blue Star, they might very well find his family and use them as leverage.

Coupled with other psychological reasons, Lin Ling had consistently been unable to share these secrets with his family. ‘Just a little longer,’ he thought.

Seeing this, Bisika decided not to disturb Lin Ling’s thoughts further and floated off towards the refrigerator.

****

An unknown amount of time later, a strange scent drew Lin Ling’s attention.

‘?? This smell? Blood??’

‘What’s going on?’

Confused, Lin Ling scrambled to his feet, turning towards the source of the scent. He saw a small, bear-like creature gnawing on Lin Hui’s foot.

Lin Ling: “……”

“Holy crap! You can’t bite that!”

****

As evening descended, Lin Hui, gradually regaining consciousness, slowly opened his eyes. He surveyed his surroundings; he was still in his older brother’s new home. But why was he lying on the sofa?

‘Huh? Why does my foot hurt a little?’

Struggling to sit up, Lin Hui began to recall his memories. He remembered chatting with his brother while touring the new apartment. Then, he thought he saw something…

‘I think I saw a magic circle?!

Yes! A magic circle! And a blonde loli popped out of it!’

After that, he remembered nothing until now. Considering the many incredible and unscientific things happening in the world recently, these fragments in his memory seemed rather commonplace.

‘Did my older brother get to know a magical girl? No, no, it’s also possible I was just too tired and dreamt it. How could my brother, with his usual demeanor, possibly know such a cute girl?’

After pondering for a while, Lin Hui simply gave up. What was the use of thinking? He could just ask! Therefore, determined, Lin Hui stood up and began searching for Lin Ling.

“Bro! Where are you?”

“Making dinner in the kitchen!” Lin Ling’s voice drifted from inside the house, not far away.

Lin Hui quickly followed the sound and soon saw his older brother preparing dinner in the kitchen.

Lin Ling remained unfazed by Lin Hui’s arrival, calmly continuing to cook while greeting his brother. “You’re awake! How was your sleep?”

“Oh, it was alright,” Lin Hui replied casually.

“Good, then go wash your hands and get ready to eat. To welcome you, your brother here even prepared many of your favorite dishes today!”

“Um, Bro, was there a foreign little girl in your house today? I think I saw her when I came back this afternoon…”

Upon hearing this, Lin Ling maintained his composure, then adopted a perplexed expression. “Are you still groggy from sleep? Or have you been reading too many ‘loli’ stories lately and are hallucinating?”

Lin Hui immediately shook his head in denial. “Nonsense, I’m not a lolic— I might have been a bit dizzy from sleep, I…”

‘My brother doesn’t seem to be lying. Did I really get it wrong? No, my memory is very clear; it doesn’t feel like a dream. And people always say you dream about what you think about during the day. I’ve only ever paid attention to girls with ‘nice bodies’; I wouldn’t possibly dream of some snot-nosed kid.’ (Bisika: *Achoo!*)

The more he thought, the more tangled he became, and the more his head ached.

‘I always feel like he’s hiding something from me…’

Watching his younger brother scratching his ears, looking slightly agitated, Lin Ling felt a pang of sympathy.

‘Perhaps I should find an opportunity to tell him after all…’

‘He is family, after all.’

****

At the same time, on the street,

Bisika strutted down the street with an arrogant, heedless gait, causing passersby to stop and stare. It wasn’t just her unusual walk; it was primarily because the foreign little girl was so exquisitely doll-like, as if carved from pink jade. Many women even openly pulled out their phones to take pictures.

Of course, Bisika had retracted her wings and adopted a childlike appearance; she knew to avoid causing a disturbance. Besides, surely no one would be interested in a child, right?

Bisika pouted continuously, looking as though she was just short of sticking a sign on her back declaring her terrible mood.

The mere thought of Lin Ling ‘kicking her out’ filled her with extreme vexation.

‘Wah! Wuwuwu!’

‘Little Seven actually kicked me out for that brother of hers! How outrageous! Telling me to stay outside for a few days… I traveled all this way!’

‘What a scoundrel, favoring his brother over his sister! Hmph!’

Bisika’s incessant complaints made her resemble a mischievous child who had run away from home after an argument with their parents, naturally attracting certain individuals with peculiar inclinations.

Thus, a handsome man with a neat fringe, oblivious to the danger, blocked Bisika’s path.

Bisika: “???”