Fifteen Frames

Spirit Jade Rabbits had another advantage: their enormous population had dug a maze of tunnels beneath the surrounding land. With their keen hearing, they also had access to the richest gossip in the area.

Qiao Ranran had come to hear that gossip.

Chapter 15: Fifteen Frames

Qiao Ranran had never expected to find food among such a huge colony. She was far more likely to become food herself.

So the moment she found their tracks, she changed her approach. She had to get on good terms with these Spirit Jade Rabbits! Even if she couldn't understand them, she could guess what they meant!

The Spirit Jade Rabbit leader seemed taken aback by her question. A breeze parted its fur, revealing a pair of large, ruby-red eyes. They were full of confusion, but once it recovered, that confusion turned to utter disdain.

Then the leader poked Qiao Ranran with its paw again.

This time, even though Qiao Ranran was ready, she was no match for its strength. The poke knocked her flat.

Qiao Ranran: "..." What was she supposed to do when every Demon Beast she met resorted to violence, and she couldn't beat any of them?

Still, Qiao Ranran understood what the leader meant. If one poke from it could knock her over, nothing nearby was going to become her prey. So was her plan to find ingredients already a bust? She sat cross-legged on the ground, pulled out a fresh Water Ginseng, and took a troubled bite.

Crunch.

A rich aroma spread through the air.

The Spirit Jade Rabbit leader quietly edged its paw forward, bringing itself just a little closer to Qiao Ranran. Seeing how much she seemed to enjoy it, the leader couldn't resist stuffing the Water Ginseng she had given it into its mouth.

After a couple of chews, it was gone.

The leader sidled a little closer to Qiao Ranran and secretly gave the young rabbits nearby an order. Only then did it cautiously reach out and poke her. This time it barely used any force, and Qiao Ranran remained rock steady.

"What is it?"

The Spirit Jade Rabbit leader let out a soft "squeak" that seemed entirely at odds with its enormous size, then stared at the Water Ginseng in Qiao Ranran's hand.

"I've already taken a bite of this one." She had only come out for a stroll and hadn't expected to meet any Spirit Jade Rabbits. She had brought just two pieces of Water Ginseng and had no more in reserve. "How about I bring you some next time?"

"Squeak..." From the sound of it, the leader wasn't pleased.

"I'll bring lots!"

"Squeak!"

"But I don't have any money..."

"Squeak?"

"I have to earn some first before I can buy it for you, so you'll have to wait."

"Squeak..."

The woman and the rabbit "chatted" in perfect harmony. When Qiao Ranran was halfway through her Water Ginseng, the young rabbits the leader had sent off returned with quite a haul.

Qiao Ranran looked at the assortment of fruits and roots piled before her, along with two pheasants that were dead beyond any doubt. She couldn't decide whether to wonder why the rabbits had brought her all this or how they had managed to catch the pheasants.

Clearly, though, it was all for her.

"You want to trade all of this for Water Ginseng?"

"Squeak!"

Qiao Ranran looked troubled. She needed these things right now, but they plainly wouldn't sell for much. Water Ginseng might not be expensive, but it was still a Spirit Plant. Ordinary fruits and roots couldn't compare in value. A trade was out of the question.

She was about to explain when several more Spirit Jade Rabbits hopped over. This time, what they placed before her were fresh Spirit Plants, still covered in soil!

Qiao Ranran: "..." The little rabbits had gone this far. What could she say?

The scene was familiar, too. It made her miss all the moments she had spent with those clever little Demon Beasts in her previous life. When it came down to it, Demon Beasts were far more straightforward than humans.

The Spirit Plants weren't high-grade, but there were plenty of them. They had been harvested rather roughly, and their roots were damaged. Still, the soil clinging to them showed that the rabbits had done their best to keep the plants intact.

"I understand. I'll bring more next time." Qiao Ranran gladly accepted everything before her. "Is there anything else you want besides Water Ginseng?"

Qiao Ranran's question sent the Spirit Jade Rabbit leader into one of the rare moments of deep thought in its life. Meanwhile, she found a spot near the water and built a fire. With practiced hands, she prepared the pheasants, took out the spices she carried with her, and roasted the birds until the air filled with their mouthwatering aroma.

The Spirit Jade Rabbit leader was stunned. Even the soft fur on its head stood straight up. At that moment, it overcame its fear of fire and quietly sidled up to Qiao Ranran again. Its ruby-red eyes fixed on the roast meat in her hands and seemed to forget how to blink.

Qiao Ranran couldn't help laughing. "Want some?"

Quite a few Demon Beasts had turned up their noses at their old diets after tasting cooked food. But she had never spent much time with Spirit Jade Rabbits—the closest she had come was probably eating spicy rabbit heads—so she hadn't known that these seemingly herbivorous creatures would be interested in barbecue.

So were rabbits herbivores or omnivores?

Qiao Ranran glanced at the leader's three-lobed mouth, which looked capable of swallowing her whole, then at the freshly roasted chicken in her hand. Its enticing aroma aside, it probably wouldn't be enough to fill the gaps between the leader's teeth.

"Want a taste?"

Qiao Ranran held the roast chicken up to its mouth. Its three-lobed lips twitched. She saw it clearly: the chicken suddenly vanished into its mouth as if it had only been an illusion, as if it had never existed at all.

If she hadn't still been holding the wooden skewer, fragrant with oil, she might have believed it. Then she saw the astonishing gleam in the Spirit Jade Rabbit leader's red eyes. Smacking its lips, it stared fixedly at the other roast chicken beside the fire.