Spring Winds

"Wah! What's this!"

Running over to the walls, Zhu Na Ran took in the grand painting and motifs that decorated the cave walls before becoming bored and moving onto the next big image. "Oh, what's over there!"

"Be careful; we don't know if there are any traps here."

Ye Lian Hua didn't like how much her junior sister was bouncing off the walls, especially without taking any precautions.

Although they were following a small airflow in these caverns, she still couldn't help but feel that something would happen, but she wasn't sure when.

'At least Junior Sister managed to find her way here thanks to that serpent, Jin Gang.'

And to that, Ye Lian Hua gave a silent prayer of thanks.

'Thank the Heavens and Jin Gang's mercy that Junior Sister came back in one piece and that Jin Gang didn't decide to swallow her whole.'

"Senior Sister, look at this giant painting! Isn't it cool?"

"Ehm, very much so," she nodded as she looked at the painting, which depicted a map of the lands before it was plunged into war. "It's rare to see such sights. Especially this well preserved."

"Hehe, yeah!" the younger girl giggled before moving onto the next picture that managed to catch her fancy.

Watching her junior sister run around like a star-struck child was an amusing sight, yet it did not alleviate the worry in her heart.

'Honestly, this girl. Something is sure to happen whether it is a coincidence or not.'

"Look, Senior Sister, look!" Zhu Na Ran pointed to something gleaming in the distance. "This must be a treasure!"

"Wait! It could be a trap!"

However, her words did not meet the energetic girl as she bolted off into the dark.

"Swoosh!"

Suddenly, out from the walls, a dart shot out and aimed itself towards Zhu Na Ran as if it had eyes!

"Zhu Na Ran!"

"Wah!" Deeply embedded into the wall, the dart was merely a hair's breadth away from her head. Slowly, turning her head to see her would-be end, a nervous giggle bubbled out from Zhu Na Ran's throat. "H-haha, that was a close one-"

"Are you hurt?!

Let me see you!" Rushing to her junior sister's side, Ye Lian Hua grabbed hold of the younger one's face and turned from side to side to check for any wounds on her head.

Next, she turned her attention to the rest of Zhu Na Ran's body and checked for any other wounds that she might've garnered from the sudden 'attack.'

"I'm fine, Senior Sister," Zhu Na Ran mumbled out to the best of her ability as Ye Lian Hua held her face in her hands. "I ducked down in time."

"Hah," Ye Lian Hua scoffed, releasing the younger girl before smacking her lightly on the head. "What were you thinking? You could've died!"

"Ow, what was that for?" Rubbing her head, Zhu Na Ran pouted at her with wide watery eyes, as if she wronged her. "I'm still alive, aren't I?"

"We'll see about," she muttered before pulling her junior sister along deeper into the cave. "Just wait till we get back home."

"W-wait, what do you mean, Senior Sister?"

S-senior Sister?!

Wah, Senior Sister!"

---

"Ahhhh, I'm bored," dragging her feet, Junior Sister continued to mope as we continued to venture deeper into the caves. "I wanna see some treasure… I wanna look around…"

"No." She wasn't going to take any more chances with this troublesome girl.

"Wahh, how could you do this to me~."

'If I don't give her attention, she'll give up.'

"Senior Sister," slinging her arms around her, Zhu Na Ran rested her head on her shoulder as she mumbled out coquettishly, "Why are you ignoring this junior, ah~?

This junior is bored~.

We've been walking in the darkness for so long~."

"It's been twenty minutes since you've nearly died."

"Ah haha, that was so long ago. This junior isn't so naive anymore!

Come on, aren't you a little bored?

There's still a treasure out there, aren't you a teensy bit curious?"

"No." She couldn't believe this girl sometimes.

Why did her junior sister only think about treasures and playing instead of prioritizing getting out of this labyrinth?

Was she some treasure hoarding beast in her past life?

"Ahh, Senior Sister, I wanna play~," Zhu Na Ran pouted as she continued to cling to her like a spoiled child. "I wanna play with you, Senior Sister~."

Ye Lian Hua subconsciously scrunched her shoulder as her junior sister's warm breath tickled her ear as her palms grew moist, and her heart started to beat erratically.

Whether it be from their close contract or her swelling annoyance, she didn't know.

"If you want to play so much, why don't you show me how much you've improved in your training," she gritted out as she attempted to calm herself down. "Surely that will entertain you for some time."

"H-haha, no need, no need," removing herself from her, Zhu Na Ran dusting away the invisible particles from her clothes to which she clung to. Smiling sheepishly, Zhu Na Ran tried to ward away her potential anger, "I'll play by myself, hehe…

No need for Senior Sister to involve herself with this little one, haha… I'll entertain myself.

Hehe… don't be mad, don't be mad."

"Hmph," flicking her sleeve, she continued her way through the darkness with the small lamp in her hand as the only guiding light.

'After this one burns out, we only have one more lamp to guide us through the rest of this darkness.

We better make haste before then.'

"Come on; we don't have that much time left."

"Fine, fine, I'm coming."

---

'Aiyah, this auntie is bored.' _(:_」∠)_

Walking behind her senior sister, Zhu Na Ran wanted to lighten up the tense mood between them and maybe strike up a conversation.

However, her senior sister didn't seem to be in the mood to talk at all, leaving her in this awkward silence.

'Hah, there's nothing to look at anymore.' (;_;)

Before, the walls were decorated with all sorts of painting and artwork, but now they were smooth and barren of any decorations.

'Strange.

I'd figure that we'd be near the crypt entrance by now, but there's nothing! ヽ(`A´;)/

Does that mean that we've missed it? ( ;∀;)

Or maybe… there isn't any treasure?! （Ω A Ω）

Ah, how can that be? I was so sure that there would be some! There has to be at least a single silver tael laying around somewhere here, right?' '

Feeling gloomy, she turned to her dear senior to bring her some entertainment.

'I've already poked the beast before, so what's a little more? ╮(╯▽╰)╭

Plus, there's no way that Senior Sister will let that near-death experience of mine go.

But that wasn't even as life-threatening as Senior Sister makes it out to be! I totally would have avoided that toy dart even without her warning! (#｀3´)

Hrm, Senior Sister, is such a worrywart.'

"Senior Sister, look at this giant rock, isn't it cool?" （*＾＾*)

"..." Her senior sister didn't respond by just wordlessly looking at the direction that she pointed to before returning her attention to what was ahead of them.

"Senior Sister, look at this weird crack in the wall! Do you think that it leads somewhere?" (＾-＾)?

"..." Again, the older sister repeated the same wordless action before looking away.

'Hoho, what do we have here?'( ◕‿◕✿)

Feeling emboldened and a tad bit mischievous, she said, "Senior Sister, look, I'm naked." (◔◡◔✿)

Ye Lian Hua was about to repeat her action before she realized her words. Freezing, Ye Lian Hua covered her mouth as she shot her a quick glare. Her senior sister quickly retreated into the darkness as she sputtered, "Y-you, you shameless girl!"

"Hahaha," not even bothering to contain her laughter, Zhu Na Ran unabashedly laughed her little heart out. 'Haha, not going to lie, I didn't think that would work out better than I thought!

It is so rare to see Senior Sister act so uncharacteristically childish.

Though, it's quite cute!'（*＾＾*)

"Come on, Senior Sister, I was just joking with you!"

"Enough! I'm not listening to your words again!"

Normally, she would've let her senior sister cool off on her own; however, that's when she noticed a tripwire gleam in the distance!

"Senior Sister, watch out! There's a trap up ahead!"

"..."

'Why isn't Senior Sister responding to me? Could it be that she's gone deaf?' Σ(゜゜)

"Senior Sister, I'm serious for once!"

Running, Zhu Na Ran tried to shorten the distance between them; however, it was too late!

Before she knew it, the tripwire triggered, Ye Lian Hua disappeared before her eyes, and the floor beneath her senior's feet collapsed!

"Senior Sister!"