Chapter: The Adorable Disaster
The night air had barely settled.
The farm was still in ruins.
And Zhang Wei—
Was still holding a carrot.
Crunch.
Silence lingered after Elder Mi's furious shout.
"…OUT!!!"
Zhang Wei flinched slightly.
His ears—though invisible—almost seemed to droop.
He lowered his gaze, still clutching the carrot tightly in his hand.
"…I said sorry."
His voice was small.
Soft.
But before anyone could respond—
Elder Mi moved.
"Enough nonsense."
With a flick of his sleeve, he stepped forward, intending to grab the remaining carrots before Zhang Wei could destroy what little was left of his farm.
"You've done enough damage—"
His hand reached out.
Toward the carrot.
—
Zhang Wei's pupils shrank.
Time seemed to slow.
His body reacted before his mind could process anything.
Danger.
Something was taking his food.
His only food.
His fingers tightened instinctively.
"No—!"
A faint burst of cold exploded outward.
—
CRACK.
—
Everything froze.
—
Silence.
—
Elder Mi stood still.
Completely still.
His body locked mid-motion, one hand stretched forward—
Encased in a thin, shimmering layer of ice.
From his fingers…
To his arm…
To his entire body.
Frozen.
Perfectly.
Like a sculpture.
—
"…?"
—
Zhang Wei blinked.
Once.
Twice.
The cold energy around him slowly faded.
"…Huh?"
He looked at his hand.
Then at Elder Mi.
Then back again.
"I didn't—"
His voice trembled.
"…I didn't do anything."
—
Above—
Sang Sang's mouth fell open.
"…He froze him."
Zhang Mi's eyes widened for the first time.
Even she hadn't expected this.
—
Below—
Zhang Wei took a small step back.
Then another.
His breathing became uneven.
"I didn't mean to…"
His voice cracked.
The frozen figure of Elder Mi stood silently before him—cold, unmoving, lifeless in appearance.
Zhang Wei's pupils shook.
"I didn't mean to—!"
His voice rose.
And then—
He broke.
"…Waaah—!"
—
He burst into tears.
—
Loud.
Sudden.
Unrestrained.
His small frame trembled as tears streamed down his face, his grip tightening around the carrot like it was the only thing anchoring him to reality.
"I didn't do it on purpose!"
"I didn't!"
"I just—he was going to take it—!"
His words came out broken, overlapping with his sobs.
The more he spoke—
The more he cried.
—
The entire area fell into chaos.
—
The watching elders stood frozen—not from ice this time, but from pure disbelief.
"…What is this?"
"…Why is he crying?"
"…Why is he crying?!"
Their expressions twisted in confusion.
This—
This wasn't how things were supposed to go.
—
A faint cracking sound echoed.
Crack.
The ice around Elder Mi began to break apart slowly.
His aura flared slightly as he shattered the thin frozen layer with force.
Shatter.
Fragments of ice scattered onto the ground.
He stood there, face dark, body stiff from the lingering chill.
"…You—"
He didn't finish.
Because—
"Enough!"
—
Zhang Mi's voice cut through the air.
In an instant, she appeared beside Zhang Wei, pulling him into her arms without hesitation.
Her movements were fast.
Protective.
Firm.
Zhang Wei instinctively clung to her, burying his face into her robes as his sobs continued.
"Mother—hic—I didn't—hic—I didn't mean to—!"
His voice was muffled but desperate.
Zhang Mi's expression darkened.
Her gaze swept across the elders like a blade.
"What exactly do you all think you're doing?"
Her tone was cold.
Sharp.
Dangerous.
The elders stiffened.
"He's just a child who has just stabilized his core," she continued. "And yet all of you are standing here, pressuring him? Frightening him?"
Her voice rose.
"Over a few carrots?!"
—
Silence.
—
Elder Mi's face twitched slightly.
"…That is not—"
"Not what?" Zhang Mi cut in immediately. "You reached for him."
Her eyes narrowed.
"You frightened him."
Zhang Wei's sobs grew louder at her words, as if confirming her statement.
"I was scared—hic—he looked angry—!"
Zhang Mi's expression softened instantly as she gently patted his head.
"It's alright," she said softly. "No one will bully you."
—
The elders: "…"
—
Sang Sang turned away again, her shoulders trembling slightly.
Whether from shock or suppressed laughter—
No one could tell.
—
The clan leader, standing at a distance, pressed his fingers against his temple.
A headache was forming.
A very serious one.
"…This child…"
He exhaled slowly.
Troublesome.
Too troublesome.
—
Elder Mi looked at the destroyed farm.
Then at Zhang Wei—still crying.
Then at Zhang Mi—clearly in no mood to be reasoned with.
His expression grew darker.
"…Of all cores…"
One of the other elders muttered under his breath.
"…It had to be the Snow Bunny."
Another sighed.
"I would have preferred a wolf… even a snake…"
"At least those don't cry."
—
Their gazes returned to Zhang Wei.
Their expressions—
Complicated.
Regretful.
Annoyed.
—
"…We made a mistake."
—
Snow Bunny cores—
Were known for their purity.
But also—
For their sensitivity.
Easily frightened.
Easily overwhelmed.
Like newborn creatures thrown into a world too harsh for them.
And Zhang Wei—
Was reacting exactly like one.
—
Unfortunately for them—
His emotions were no longer hidden.
—
Deep within Zhang Wei's heart, something stirred.
All the suppressed grievances.
All the quiet suffering he had endured.
All the emotions he had buried for years—
Now surfaced.
Uncontrolled.
Unfiltered.
They flooded his chest.
And came out—
As tears.
"I didn't do anything wrong…"
His voice was small.
Broken.
"…I just wanted to eat…"
His grip tightened on Zhang Mi's robes.
"…Why are you all looking at me like that…?"
—
Even the clan leader paused.
For a brief moment—
No one spoke.
—
Zhang Mi's eyes softened.
Her hand gently stroked his hair.
"It's alright," she said quietly. "You did nothing wrong."
Her gaze turned cold again as she looked at the others.
"If anyone is at fault here…"
Her voice dropped.
"…It is all of you."
—
The elders fell silent.
For once—
None of them argued.
—
Zhang Wei's sobs slowly quieted, though his breathing still trembled.
In his hand—
He still held the carrot.
Half-eaten.
Protected like treasure.
—
And deep inside—
The Snow Bunny stirred again.
Soft.
Timid.
But watching.
Learning.
—
As for the elders—
They could only stand there…
Silently questioning their life choices.