Night had fallen, and the bright moon hung in the sky. The tropical forest was a hazy gray, all sorts of birds and beasts had returned to their nests, and only the gentle breeze was blowing, causing the leaves to rustle. In a dimly lit part of the woods, Luo Zheng was concealed in the canopy of a large tree, quietly observing the area in front. Turul's people had spread out, securing the area with posts every three steps and sentries every five, fires were lit everywhere. It was easy to be discovered if he broke out, so he could only wait for a mont of laxity from the enemies to find a loophole.
After the horrifying mosquito incident, Luo Zheng was wary of going deeper into the forest and didn't dare enter. However, after waiting bitterly for over three hours, he noticed that the number of Turul's people was increasing. They had blocked all the surrounding paths, making it impossible to leave. He faced only two choices: to break through by force, which seed unlikely, or to go deeper into the forest and see if there was a chance to shake off the pursuers, but that was equally dangerous.
Thinking it over, Luo Zheng felt sleepy. He had been running all day and was utterly exhausted. His eyelids were as heavy as mountains. Startled, Luo Zheng quickly shook his head to wake himself up. But soon after, he felt a strong wave of sleepiness again. He knew he couldn't go on like this. Looking around, there was nothing but trees, nowhere was safe. He thought it might be best to find a place to sleep and deal with everything tomorrow.
Having made up his mind, Luo Zheng cut so thin vines, then climbed up to sit astride on a branch in the tree canopy. Being in the canopy was less dangerous than on the ground; as long as he didn't fall, it would be fine. The night had already fallen, and the enemy would not enter the forest, so safety was not a big concern. Luo Zheng quickly secured himself with the thin vines, blending his body with the branches and swaying with the wind.
After settling in, Luo Zheng felt an even stronger urge to sleep. His eyelids gradually closed, and he began to regulate his breath using the family's inherited Breathing Skill. Holding the Tiger Teeth knife in hand just in case, Luo Zheng drifted between waking and sleep, feeling sothing crawling over his body. He was too tired to even open his eyes and decided to ignore it.
Before long, Luo Zheng felt that the thing crawling on him hadn't left but instead had moved onto his face. It was damp. He suddenly woke up, but the hunter's instinct told Luo Zheng that he should not move, or it could be very troubleso. He held his breath and tried to discern carefully, and it felt like a snake.
Luo Zheng waited for the thing to move away from his face before slowly opening his eyes. In the dim moonlight, a snake as thick as an arm about five or six ters long was coiled around a branch. Its upper half looped over his neck and slithered onto his back. It was fortunate that he hadn't moved; otherwise, the giant snake would definitely have attacked. He couldn't clearly see the snake's head to determine if it was venomous, but its body in the moonlight appeared golden-yellow and was moving slowly, eerily majestic and terrifying.
In the silent, dense forest canopy, anyone being targeted by a giant snake would panic; even Luo Zheng, who had been hunting since childhood and was very brave, could not help but feel his scalp go numb and his entire body stiffen. He did not dare to move and even held his breath, being exceptionally careful even with blinking, fearing he might startle the snake. He silently prayed that the snake would leave soon.
Without knowing whether it was venomous or not, Luo Zheng dared not move and could only feign death, waiting for the snake to leave on its own. However, the snake showed no sign of leaving; on the contrary, it seed deeply interested in Luo Zheng. It twisted its body eerily, peeking over from his head and flicking its tongue, tightening the grip around Luo Zheng's neck a notch.
Luo Zheng was terrified, fearing that the snake would attack. Being wrapped around the neck by a giant snake was definitely fatal, and more importantly, he was unsure if it was venomous. If it wasn't venomous, he could still take a chance, but if it was, even a single bite would be problematic. Luo Zheng held his breath, his face turning red, not daring to breathe or make the slightest movent, his entire body stiff as if he were part of the tree, letting the giant snake slither over him.
If it had been anyone else, they likely would have collapsed in fear by now. Luo Zheng was scared to death too, but he had not lost his wits. He knew that fear would only lead to a quicker death. Gripping the Tiger Teeth knife tighter, he forced himself to calm down and keenly sensed his surroundings, looking for an opportunity to act.
Before long, perhaps growing impatient with Luo Zheng, the giant snake slowly slithered toward the tree base. Its body slid over Luo Zheng's neck, wet and sticky, chilling to the bone, causing panic. At that mont, Luo Zheng dared not move any further, desperately holding his breath. A startled snake instinctively curls up, and Luo Zheng did not want to provoke the giant snake, lest his neck get entangled.
The giant snake moved at a snail's pace, making the process unbearable, each second stretching like a century. Luo Zheng felt like he was about to explode from holding his breath. Unable to endure it any longer, he suddenly grasped the snake's body and yanked it to one side while gasping for air desperately.
The leisurely crawling giant snake was disturbed and instinctively coiled up, entangling Luo Zheng's neck. Just as Luo Zheng had caught a breath, he was tightly wrapped again, which startled him greatly. He struggled fiercely, and at that mont, the head of the snake turned back toward him. Its long tongue flickered sinisterly under the moonlight.
The snake had a triangular head, typical of venomous snakes. By the moonlight, Luo Zheng could see this clearly and was terrified. In his struggle, he saw the snake strike like lightning, opening its wide mouth. Luo Zheng was imdiately furious, his blood boiling with anger. He decided that even if he were to die, he would take the giant snake down with him. Giving up the struggle, he swung Tiger Teeth toward the head of the snake with lightning speed.
Though his neck was constricted and breathing was difficult, his hands were still free. Luo Zheng knew this strike would be his only chance and he could not afford to waste it. This slash gathered all of Luo Zheng's strength and was both swift and fierce. The snake's attack was fast as well, but still, Luo Zheng's blade struck true.
The razor-sharp edge of Tiger Teeth instantaneously sliced into the snake's body, severing the spine and chopping the snake into two. The snake's attack crumbled imdiately, its head flying off into the void and disappearing from sight, but its body still forcefully coiled. Snakes have a vigorous life force and do not die just because their heads are severed.
Aware of the snake's nature, Luo Zheng, after striking his blow, tossed aside Tiger Teeth and used both hands to forcibly pry the snake's body from around his neck to prevent strangulation. The dying snake's instinctual reactions made it even stronger, but Luo Zheng's strength was also considerable, and he eventually managed to partially uncoil the snake, easing his neck and gasping for air.
After the influx of fresh air, Luo Zheng's spirit soared. He continued to exert force, prying. With its head gone, the snake's subsequent attack strength weakened, gradually allowing Luo Zheng to fully unwrap it. Without the threat of a head attack, Luo Zheng focused entirely on the body. Once he had uncoiled it enough, he lifted the giant snake's body overhead and threw it to the ground.
"Huff, huff, huff." Luo Zheng gasped heavily, eyes fixed intensely on the falling snake's body, feeling imnsely relieved. It was fortunate he had not moved earlier, deceiving the giant snake; otherwise, things would have been troubleso. After checking his body and ensuring there was no danger, he finally relaxed completely, drew his Japanese sword, and vigilantly scanned the surroundings for any other potential threats.
This casual look turned Luo Zheng's face deathly pale.
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