One hundred thousand troops was an exaggeration. The vast swarm of poisonous insects, dark and densely packed, numbered only a few hundred in total.
However, each of them was the size of a basketball hoop, and when they swarmed together, they created a scene reminiscent of a “locust plague.”
The one at the very front was even as large as a suitcase!
“Baby, stop!”
The antennae of the poisonous insect were grabbed by Pang Cancan, and obediently, it descended to a height of one meter above the ground.
She excitedly jumped down, hugging Su Su tightly and refusing to let go.
“Sister Su Su! You’re still alive, wuwuwu, I knew you were still alive!”
Such a bizarre entrance stunned all the ability users rushing forward.
Just seeing those swarms of poisonous insects made their scalps tingle with fear. They almost suspected that the zombie virus had spread to the insect population, creating a new species.
Su Su was also shocked. “Cancan? Why are you here?”
“That’s a long story…”
However, the people present wouldn’t give them time for a reunion. Si Zhe and Lin Weiran were only momentarily stunned before charging forward once again.
They had seen Pang Cancan’s ability before and knew that these poisonous insects were her pets. Although they looked intimidating, in reality, they could be killed with a single slash.
With the two of them taking the lead, the others quickly snapped back to their senses.
They hesitated for a few seconds but ultimately couldn’t resist the temptation of the crystal cores, joining the force trying to capture the giant python alive.
“Oh? Ganging up on the few with the many, huh?” Pang Cancan waved her arm. “Babies, attack!”
Su Su quickly grabbed her. “There are too many of them. We should retreat first.”
Her caution was understandable—there were simply too many ability users from the Southern Base who had their eyes on this. Even with Pang Cancan’s help…
Vroom—
Suddenly, the distant roar of an engine echoed.
From the darkness, an exceptionally high-performance off-road vehicle sped into view. The driver’s reckless and audacious skill was evident as the car screeched to a halt, just barely grazing the giant python.
“Sister Su Su!”
Le Rui was the first to jump out. He initially wanted to rush straight to Su Su’s side, but since she was standing atop the giant python, he couldn’t climb up… In the end, he could only stand there, staring at Su Su, whom he hadn’t seen for more than two months, his eyes turning red.
“I thought… I thought you were dead…”
“Ptui! A child’s mouth has no filter!”
A familiar figure stepped out of the car. Guan Zixuan had just finished scolding Le Rui when he turned his head—only to see a snake that looked both familiar and unfamiliar.
First glance—shocked!
Second glance—so cool!
Third glance… “Holy shit! Is that really Xiao Hei?”
Why did it look so much like the giant python that triggered an avalanche back in the village? Wait a minute—the scales were a different color, and so were its vertical pupils.
“Zixuan.”
Wei Yan also stepped out of the car, but his gaze first swept over Su Su before finally landing on the ability users rushing toward them. “Let’s take care of business first.”
Right. Business first.
Guan Zixuan twisted his wrist, looking at the group of ability users with a half-smile. “So, you’re the ones taking advantage of the chaos to loot?”
The sudden appearance of two more people did cause Si Zhe and Lin Weiran to pause momentarily.
Who were they? And why were they standing on Su Su’s side?
Forget it! It didn’t matter!
Even if four more people joined the fight, that still only made it five people and a snake on their side. Meanwhile, they had over a hundred ability users—there was no way they wouldn’t be able to take them down!
The battle erupted instantly.
The swarm of poisonous insects under Pang Cancan’s control was the first to charge into the crowd. They weren’t particularly strong in terms of attack, but they could fly and were highly venomous, perfectly capable of stalling the lower-tier ability users.
If dozens of them attacked together, even some Tier 4 ability users would struggle to handle them.
Wei Yan and Guan Zixuan also launched their attacks.
Both were now Tier 4 ability users with extensive combat experience. Taking on two opponents at once—or even three—was no problem for them!
Even Le Rui was able to hold off a Tier 3 ability user on his own.
For a moment, the battlefield seemed to reach a precarious balance.
Seeing this, Su Su’s chest rose and fell violently.
She hadn’t expected Pang Cancan and the others to appear so suddenly, but since they were willing to fight alongside her, what was there to run from?
“Xiao Hei, go!”
The giant python rejoined the battle, but this time, it finally had the energy to focus solely on dealing with the two people it despised most—Si Zhe and Lin Weiran.
“Hiss!!!”
A Tier 5 ability against Tier 4 opponents—its advantage was overwhelming.
Blazing blue flames relentlessly chased after Si Zhe and Lin Weiran as they fled.
The two hadn’t expected the situation to flip so quickly. The moment they engaged head-on, they realized they were completely outmatched. With no choice, they began dodging and weaving, trying to avoid direct confrontation.
Even so, they were forced to continuously unleash their abilities to counter the ferocious blue flames and the occasional sweeping strikes of the python’s tail.
And that tail was no joke—if they got hit, they wouldn’t just be injured; they’d be crippled or even killed outright.
This couldn’t go on! At this rate, they would be drained of their abilities and left completely defenseless against the giant python!
Si Zhe shot Lin Weiran a meaningful glance.
Lin Weiran immediately understood.
The two circled around the python, maneuvering into position. The moment they converged, they launched their combined attack—blazing orange flames intertwined with crackling lightning, striking fiercely at the python’s weak spot—its seventh inch.
Two months ago, this very move had utterly destroyed a Tier 4 zombie!
No matter how strong this python was, it had already endured several rounds of battle. There was no way it could withstand this!
“Xiao Hei! Dodge!”
The giant python did not heed the female’s shout.
It knew very well that dodging was impossible. With its massive body, it was far too cumbersome to evade in time, nor could it shrink down—if it did, the female would be completely exposed to the ability users.
“Hiss!!”
Its writhing body barely managed to shift its weak spot away.
Yet, the fire-thunder orb still struck the python’s body. A large patch of its scales was blasted off, revealing the soft flesh beneath, which was instantly reduced to a bloody mess.
“Xiao Hei!”
Su Su’s heart ached so much that she was on the verge of tears. She couldn’t bear to keep looking, her gaze instead locking onto the two culprits with an icy intensity.
“Kill them!”
For the first time, she gave such a resolute command, her expression colder than ever before.
Lin Weiran and Si Zhe had never repaid kindness, but she… she had always been too soft-hearted, too sentimental. She had never forgotten that in her past life, these two had taken her to the Southern Base. Even in this life, they had never explicitly tried to kill her, so she had merely chosen to part ways rather than seek serious revenge.
But now, despite knowing the city lord’s ill intentions, they had still ruthlessly attacked her. They not only wanted to seize the Grade 5 crystal but also to trample both her and Xiao Hei into the depths of hell!
Su Su clenched her teeth and repeated her command: “Kill them!”
Lin Weiran and Si Zhe had already exhausted their abilities. At this moment, they were at their weakest.
Si Zhe had always been shameless, but he had once said something correct—sentimentality was the stance of the weak. She had not yet learned how to be strong.
But thanks to the lesson they brought her, they would be the ones to see it through to the end.
The moment Si Zhe saw that the cold-blooded beast had not died, he realized they were in grave danger.
He grabbed Lin Weiran and tried to retreat. “Run!”
Run?
That was impossible!
Not only because of Su Su’s command but also because the python itself was extremely vengeful.
It slithered forward in pursuit, its tail sweeping out ferociously, aiming straight for Lin Weiran, who was lagging behind.
It still remembered that during the earlier assault, these people had first attacked its female. Now, it was their turn—it mimicked their strategy flawlessly!
The gust of wind from the tail’s movement surged toward her.
Si Zhe glanced back, and with just one look, his pupils shrank in horror. “Weiran! Watch out!”
Lin Weiran sensed the impending danger as well.
But it was too late to react!
At the critical moment, Si Zhe gritted his teeth and shoved Lin Weiran aside, taking the full force of the python’s tail himself.
In his mind, as a Tier 4 ability user, his body was strong enough to withstand the blow. Even if he got hurt, it would just be a matter of recovering over a hundred days. Lin Weiran was different—she was a woman, and more importantly, her back was facing the python. If she were hit in the spine… she could die instantly!
It was best for him to take the hit.
However, reality did not unfold as he had expected.
A deep, vengeful glint flashed through those dark green vertical pupils.
The python’s earlier strike had merely been a feint.
Seeing its true target rush forward, its massive head suddenly lunged closer. A small yet concentrated arrow-like burst of blue flames shot from its mouth, slicing through the air at lightning speed—before piercing straight through Si Zhe’s abdomen.
He looked down in disbelief—his stomach now had a gaping, bloody hole.
Pa!
The serpent’s tail followed immediately after.
Already gravely injured, Si Zhe was sent flying like a severed kite, his body hurling into the distance.
Lin Weiran had just steadied herself when she witnessed the entire scene. Her heart clenched with agony as she screamed:
“Si Zhe!!”
At this moment of life and death, their deep bond erupted into a tragic display of devotion— the kind of love that could move even the heavens.
A trace of “emotion” flickered in the python’s cold-blooded eyes.
But that didn’t stop its tail from mercilessly sweeping toward Lin Weiran.
“Beast! Stop!”
Just as the python was about to deal a devastating blow, a teammate of Lin Weiran’s, who had just fought through the poisonous insects, rushed over and dragged her away in time.
Along with her, they also dragged away Si Zhe—now completely unconscious.
He lay in a pool of blood, fresh crimson still gushing endlessly from his abdomen. His body was twisted into a grotesque and unnatural shape.
The horrific sight brought a sudden, deathly silence over the battlefield.
All eyes were fixed on Si Zhe—or rather, on his abdomen.
Broken bones? That could heal.
Paralysis? There was still hope if they found a healer.
But…
That wound… it had pierced straight through his Dantian.
Taking advantage of the pause, Wei Yan moved quickly to the python’s side and whispered, “Su Su, have Xiao Hei shrink down. We need to go!”
Su Su understood immediately.
She cast one last glance at Si Zhe, still alive, and Lin Weiran, completely unharmed…
What a shame. She hadn’t managed to finish them off.
By now, only a few of Pang Cancan’s poisonous insects remained. They could no longer hold back the endless wave of incoming ability users.
Without hesitation, the group retreated to the car. Su Su jumped down from the python’s back without delay.
“Xiao Hei!”
The giant python didn’t hesitate.
It shrank into its tiny snake form, slithering like a dart straight onto its female’s wrist.
Pa!
The doors slammed shut!
The off-road vehicle roared to life, the gas pedal slammed to the floor. In the blink of an eye, it vanished into the darkness—disappearing beyond the horizon.
No one could catch up.
All that remained was Lin Weiran’s heart-wrenching cries, echoing through the night.