Lin Tang had been mulling over Feng Ye’s earlier explanation of the technique, watching Lin Chuan attempt it a few times. After seeing one successful try, she’d felt a competitive itch to test it herself—until his current wrecked state startled her. “Bro, what on earth did you do? You look completely drained!”

Lin Chuan slumped onto the bench, all his weight sinking into the backrest. Weakly, he murmured, “I… I don’t know… While practicing… my strength just vanished.”

Mid-sentence, he clapped a hand over his mouth, face twisting queasily.

Lin Tang gasped. “Whoa! Bro, you’re not… pregnant, are you?”

Lin Chuan nearly choked on sheer exasperation. Feng Ye smoothly cut in, “This is clearly Spirit Energy overexertion. His body’s reacting to the sudden drain.”

“But he didn’t even unleash his War Spirit!” Lin Tang frowned, then froze. “Wait… could it be—”

Feng Ye nodded. “Soulstep demands ample Spirit Energy. As I explained, its mechanism involves a burst release—massive energy expended in an instant.” He hadn’t hidden the technique’s name during training for clarity. “Lin Chuan’s unfamiliarity caused wasteful expenditure. Each failed attempt drained him further until backlash hit. With practice, consumption stabilizes.”

Lin Tang wore a half-understanding look, relief flickering in her eyes. *Thank goodness my silly bro took the hit first. If I’d ended up like this, my little fairy image would be ruined.*

Reassured he was fine, she grinned mischievously at his utterly drained expression—like he’d overdone it with Viagra—and whipped out her phone. *Click.*

Though confused, a chill of dread crept up Lin Chuan’s spine. “Tangtang… why’d you take that photo?”

Waving the screen under his nose, Lin Tang chirped, “If I show Dad this and say you’ve been… *misbehaving*… think he’d believe me?”

Lin Chuan glimpsed his own hollowed-out face and tumbled off the bench. Crawling forward with the last of his strength, he bowed deeply. “Mercy, fair lady!”

Tapping her lips, eyes dancing, Lin Tang sighed sweetly, “My allowance’s running low lately… so many things to buy. Big bro, any *bright* ideas?”

Swallowing grief and fury, Lin Chuan trembled as he pulled out his wallet, forcing a smile worse than tears. “For my sister’s needs… this brother spares no effort.”

...

Under Feng Ye’s pitying gaze, Lin Chuan’s hard-saved secret stash met a tragic end. Only then did Lin Tang produce a Spirit Energy recovery potion and pour it down his throat. Even so, he lay out cold for thirty minutes. A faint, lingering weakness remained—but movement was possible.

“Looks like you’re recovering nicely,” Lin Tang chirped, watching his color return.

Lin Chuan shot her a deeply aggrieved look. He could almost see a tiny devil’s tail swishing behind her. *Never again. No more impulsiveness. Never give this brat leverage over me.*

Gloomily, he added, “Bro Feng Ye… Soulstep really isn’t for normal people.”

Feng Ye chuckled. “Beginner’s hurdle. Practice a few more times—it’ll smooth out.”

“Practice again? …Forget it. I’ll deal with it later.” The memory of total depletion sent a shiver through him. Then came the wallet-emptying sting. *I’ll need emergency heart pills on me 24/7 from now on.*

*Seriously—what’s so great about little sisters? Either they drag you into “German orthopedics”… or give you a heart attack!*

Feng Ye didn’t press further. He’d taught his part; mastery was on them.

Still, his strength had earned the siblings’ full acknowledgment. That brick strike? Nothing like a proper combat skill… yet undeniably functioned as control—just brutally so. Lin Chuan’s head still throbbed faintly recalling it. Coupled with Feng Ye’s mysterious footwork, his power felt unfathomable. In the end, they stopped questioning claims like “100% interrupt technique.”

Confirmed as a team member, the siblings saw no reason to linger. After a quick word, they hailed a taxi.

“Where to now?” Feng Ye asked Lin Tang beside him, curious how they’d track those elusive Beasts.

Leaning back, swinging her pale dangling legs while scrolling her phone, she replied, “Texting the others to gather. We’ll head to the spot and wait.”

“Spot? You have the Beast’s exact location?” Feng Ye blinked.

“Well… kinda,” Lin Tang said, tilting her head with a conflicted pout. “You’ll see when we get there.”

“Alright.” Feng Ye dropped it. Quota met—that’s all that mattered.

*I wonder how Coco’s doing at home…*

Glancing at mischievous Lin Tang, his gaze drifted to the window. Their sibling banter stirred sudden longing for that little rascal… even though he’d only been out an hour or two.

“Come to think of it… Stella always calls me a sis-con. Guess she wasn’t wrong,” he muttered.

Unnoticed, Lin Tang had lifted her head. She studied Feng Ye—lost in thought by the glass—with a quiet, thoughtful expression.

...