Chapter 170: The Foxian Twins
In the quiet hum of the family merchant ship, Orion and Jiang Li were opposites, two halves of a coin.
Jiang Li was like a true little fox, a whirlwind of lively energy and boundless curiosity. She had inherited the most striking traits of their Foxian lineage: snow-white, impossibly soft ears that twitched at every sound, and long, matching white hair. Her large, rose-colored eyes were always sparkling, wide with wonder.
"Brother! Brother!"
This was the first word she learned and, for a long time, the one she said the most.
She loved to follow behind Orion, her small, sweet voice a constant echo in the star-skiff's corridors. When she was still learning to walk, she would often trip over her own fluffy, oversized tail, landing softly on the deck.
She wouldn't cry. She would just sit there, blinking her big, damp eyes up at him, her bottom lip pushed out, patiently waiting for him to help her up.
Whenever this happened, Orion would let out a sigh, a sound far too weary for a child's body. He would shake his head helplessly, his own expression unreadable, before extending his hand.
"Little silly. Come."
She would giggle, revealing newly grown, sharp little baby teeth, then tightly grasp his hand and continue to wobble faithfully after him.
At 3 years old, their family's merchant ship docked at the vibrant trade hub of Cyrta-IV. It was Jiang Li's first time seeing so many novel things. Her fox ears stood straight up, swiveling independently to catch every new sound—the low hum of towering Xantarellian freighters, the chattering of multi-limbed navigators, the sizzling of alien street food.
But she was shy, clinging tightly to Orion's hand as she looked at the various stalls.
"Brother, what's that?"
"That's a Void-Whale automaton, they're used for deep-space cargo hauling."
"What about that?"
"A merchant from the Salsomaggi system. Don't stare, their species finds direct eye contact threatening."
For every one of her endless questions, Orion would patiently explain. His knowledge was preternatural, far exceeding what a child his age should know, drawn from a life he alone remembered.
At 4 years old, on a bustling market street, a bigger child—a burly, ape-like long-life species boy—snatched away the fox-shaped sugar painting Jiang Li had just bought.
She didn't cry or scream. She just stood frozen, her ears flattened against her head and her tail drooping. Tears welled up, glittering on her lashes as she turned and clutched his clothes.
"Brother... my little fox..."
Seeing her wronged, heartbroken expression, an unprecedented, cold anger surged within Orion. He just patted her head.
"It's okay. Brother will get it back for you."
Jiang Li only knew that the next morning, the older child returned, his face pale and his hands trembling. He came to apologize, bowing stiffly, and brought a whole box of expensive, imported candies as restitution. He never bothered her again.
At 5 years old, during a raging squall on the astral currents, Jiang Li fell ill with a high fever. Rain hammered against the star-skiff's hull, and she thrashed in her bed, delirious, continuously calling out one name.
"Brother... Brother..."
Orion stayed by her bed, repeatedly wiping her burning forehead with a cool cloth, his small face a mask of adult-like concentration.
"Brother is here," he held her small, hot hand. "Brother will never leave."
That night, as the ship rocked in the chaotic currents, he didn't leave her side for a single step.
At 6 years old, their father began to teach Orion the basics of their trade. Interstellar trade ledgers, IPC tariffs, shipping-lane logistics—his mind, augmented by his secret, absorbed it all with frightening speed.
Jiang Li also started school, learning to write. While Orion devoured complex texts, she struggled with her first strokes, her white fox ears drooping in frustration.
She would pout, her tail thumping unhappily on the floor. "It's too hard!"
You would then sit beside her, patiently holding her small hand, guiding her stroke by stroke. The first neat character she ever wrote, the one she practiced until it was perfect, was—"兄".
[Inorin's Note: 兄 (Ani), the formal Japanese/Kanji character for 'Elder Brother'.]
At 7 years old, their family traveled to the magnificent Xianzhou "Luofu" for a major trade celebration. The Starskiff Haven was a sea of people, jade-green palaces touching the artificial sky, and Cloud Knights patrolled on graceful star-skiffs.
[Inorin's Note: The Xianzhou Luofu is one of the six flagship vessels of the Xianzhou Alliance.]
There were too many people, and the sheer volume of noise—gongs, chattering crowds, ship engines—overwhelmed Jiang Li's sensitive foxian hearing. She was terrified.
"Brother, don't let go of my hand, okay? I'll get lost." Her hand was clammy, trembling in his.
"You won't," Orion clasped her hand back, his grip firm and grounding. "Brother will always hold your hand."
And he truly didn't let go for a moment.
That night, they watched the celestial fireworks from the skiff's deck—great celestial illusions bloomed in the void, forming dragons of light and phoenixes of fire that danced across the stars. Jiang Li leaned on his shoulder, her eyes wide with awe.
"Brother, we should always be together," she suddenly said, her voice soft with sleepiness.
"Mmm..."
She nodded contentedly and fell asleep in his arms.
Orion looked down at his sister, her face peaceful, her tail wrapped around his leg. A fierce, protective urge surged within him. This was his family. His treasure.
He swore in that moment, looking out at the endless sea of stars, that he would always protect her, this pure and kind little angel. He would protect this smile and let her live carefree forever.
But fate never changes its course because of human wishes.
At 8 years old, their merchant ship had just completed a hyperspace jump, emerging into the quiet void of a trade route. A sudden, piercing whistle broke the tranquility of the star sea, followed by the violent jolt of weapons fire.
Piercing alarms blared through the skiff. A huge shadow loomed over them—the savage, wolf-like cruisers of the Borisin.
[Inorin's Note: The Borisin are a faction of nomadic, wolf-like marauders who follow the Path of The Hunt. They are known for their brutality.]
[Inorin Note:
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