After days of continuous travel, the convoy came across a rare oasis in the middle of the desert.
Under Qi Huiling’s decision, they stopped there for the night to rest.
With vegetation as a natural barrier and no need to rush on the road, everyone could finally prepare a proper hot meal.
For a while, the campsite was filled with all sorts of delicious aromas.
The most extravagant of all was the Ability User Guild. They had brought smoked pork and cooked a pot of preserved meat rice, eating to the point that oil dripped from their mouths.
The Research Guild, as expected, took out instant hotpot. The domineering spicy fragrance made everyone collectively swallow their saliva.
—They really wanted hotpot.
—When they got back, they should be able to enjoy a good meal, right?
Zeng Zhuyue from the Battle Pet Guild had already disappeared, while Jiang Hong was sitting around the campfire, feeding chunks of meat—no longer fresh but well-preserved—to his cheetah.
As for Su Su’s side, Sun Zhichun had taken full responsibility, washing the dried seafood they carried and simmering a pot of scallop and shrimp seafood porridge.
Alongside it were Pang Cancan’s secretly stashed salted duck eggs and pickled mustard greens.
The three of them sat around the fire, while the well-fed black snake lay drowsily on the female’s lap.
Su Su sipped her porridge in small mouthfuls, her ears filled with the crackling sounds of burning firewood and the hushed discussions of other teams.
She couldn’t make out the specifics, but she could tell that those who dared to take on this mission were all rather cautious.
Sun Zhichun casually chatted, “I just saw Zeng Zhuyue from the Battle Pet Guild by the lake. Her battle pet probably can’t leave the water and is soaking in the lake…”
At the center of this oasis was a lake, one of the few water sources they had seen in days.
Pang Cancan was curious. “They’ve already taken human form, yet they still can’t leave the water?”
Sun Zhichun took a sip of seafood porridge. “Probably a side effect of incomplete transformation. After all, they aren’t truly human. Plus, they’re a marine creature, and we’re in this dry, scorching desert—it’s impossible for them to stay out of the water for long. I just wonder what happens once they fully take human form.”
Pang Cancan instinctively glanced at the black snake. “But I see Xiao Hei doing just fine in the desert!”
Aren’t snakes supposed to prefer cool, shady places?
Sun Zhichun pondered for two seconds. “It can breathe fire—do you really think it’s afraid of heat?”
That made too much sense.
Pang Cancan was at a loss for words. After a long pause, she mumbled, “Th-then maybe Xiao Hei mutated.”
The black snake, which had been dozing off, suddenly lifted its head and cast a disdainful glance at her.
But the tip of its tail twitched instinctively.
There was still a faint burn mark from when it touched the scorching ground two days ago. Shedding its scales had left its unprotected belly much more sensitive and fragile than usual.
Unwilling to face such an embarrassing moment, it buried its head back into the female’s embrace.
Pang Cancan bared her teeth at it. Then, as if recalling something, her expression changed abruptly.
“Wait a second… the porridge we’re drinking right now—wasn’t it made with that blue whale’s bathwater?”
Su Su’s hand paused midair as she held the spoon.
She silently glanced at her bowl of porridge, hesitated for two seconds, and said, “It was boiled thoroughly, so it should be fine, right?”
The cook, Sun Zhichun, hadn’t expected the conversation to take such a turn and couldn’t help but chuckle. “That lake has too high a salt content, making it unsuitable for drinking. This porridge wasn’t made with lake water—it was made using my ability.”
Only then did Pang Cancan breathe a huge sigh of relief and gulp down three big bowls of porridge.
As for washing the dishes, they didn’t have to worry about that either—Sun Zhichun’s ability swiftly took care of everything.
Honestly, a tall, dark, and handsome man squatting by the fire, washing pots and bowls—it was quite an attractive sight.
“Tonight, Cancan will take the first half of the night watch, and I’ll take the second half.”
Sun Zhichun had been driving a lot over the past few days, so he needed a proper night’s rest.
“Got it!”
The two girls took turns sleeping in the car’s interior space, while Sun Zhichun rested in a tent outside. That way, in case of an emergency, he could immediately jump into the vehicle and drive off.
The first half of the night passed peacefully.
Su Su woke up right on time. When she checked the time, there was still more than an hour before the shift change.
Since she couldn’t fall back asleep, she decided to get up and take over Cancan’s watch early.
Perhaps she moved too suddenly because as she passed the front seat, she accidentally bumped into Cancan’s backpack, which had been left in the car.
With a thud, the bag fell to the ground. The zipper hadn’t been closed properly, and its contents scattered all over.
Su Su switched on a small night lamp and crouched down to pick up the items one by one—until she noticed a few familiar-looking books…
They looked just like the ones she had seen at a street stall in the base’s trading market…
She silently stuffed the books back into Cancan’s backpack. After a few moments of silence, she suddenly whipped her head around.
The black snake was curled up in the blanket, deep in sleep, completely unaware.
Su Su let out a breath of relief, zipped up the bag carefully, and tiptoed out of the car.
The desert’s temperature difference between day and night was extreme, and a cool breeze was blowing. The flames of the campfire flickered, all leaning toward one direction.
Looking around, every team had someone standing guard. They had only temporarily gathered together for the sake of mutual benefits, and after what had happened with Huang Yongjun’s attack on Su Su, everyone was more vigilant than ever, unwilling to blindly trust those around them.
Pang Cancan, who had been passing time by rubbing her venomous pet’s back, looked up in surprise when she saw Su Su approaching. “Sister Su Su, why are you up so early?”
“I slept too much during the day, so now I can’t fall back asleep.” Su Su sat down beside her. “Go rest. I’ll take over the night watch.”
“I’m not sleepy yet,” Pang Cancan replied, still focused on wiping the feelers of her venomous pet. “I’ll go in a bit.”
“Mm.”
Su Su sat beside her for a while, glancing at the rather unattractive venomous bug. Then, out of nowhere, she said, “I accidentally knocked over your backpack.”
“Knocked it over? That’s fine, there’s nothing valuable inside—”
Mid-sentence, Pang Cancan froze.
She blinked rapidly and turned to Su Su with an ingratiating smile. “Sister Su Su… you saw everything?”
Su Su nodded.
Pang Cancan, fearing that her image in Sister Su Su’s heart would be ruined, hurriedly explained, “Ahem, mainly because the journey is too boring, I have to find something to read. Besides, without restrictions now, those books are written and drawn really well…”
Su Su understood completely.
She just… just… “You should hide them better. Don’t let Xiao Hei see.”
Pang Cancan’s explanation came to an abrupt halt. She blinked a few more times.
The orange-red flames reflected on Su Su’s cheeks, and that hint of embarrassment—whether from the heat of the fire or her own emotions—was unclear.
Pang Cancan had many questions she wanted to ask.
But she felt that if she really voiced them, Sister Su Su would probably be so flustered that she’d bury herself in the sand.
“Don’t worry, I’ll hide them well!” She patted her chest in assurance. “Besides, Xiao Hei can’t read, so he definitely wouldn’t understand!”
Can’t read?
Thinking of that well-worn Xinhua Dictionary with curled page edges, Su Su had her doubts—Xiao Hei’s intelligence was beyond expectations. Setting aside comprehension, its memory was astonishing, as if it had already memorized every word.
She brushed off her inexplicable worries and nodded. “Alright.”
The atmosphere returned to silence. After sitting for a while, Su Su suddenly stood up. “I’m going for a walk by the lake.”
“Xiao Hei isn’t going with you?”
“It’s still sleeping.”
Sleeping, sleeping—what’s the point of sleeping so much at such a young age!
Pang Cancan watched as Sister Su Su disappeared into the vegetation in the distance. When she turned back, she noticed the car door being nudged open. A two-to-three-meter-long python slowly slithered down from the vehicle. As it passed by her, it cast her a rare glance—one that carried an indescribable meaning.
It wasn’t indifference, nor was it contempt… she simply couldn’t put into words what that gaze meant.
She let out a small huff. “Tag-along snake.”
Xiao Hei heard that but paid no mind to the sour human, slithering straight toward the direction the female had left.
On the other side, Su Su had already stepped into the lake’s perimeter.
A faint rustling sound came from behind her. She turned her head—nothing but emptiness.
She remained vigilant, scanning the surroundings for a long while, but found no sign of another person… Perhaps it was just some desert creature passing by.
Retracting her gaze, she pushed aside the vegetation blocking her sight, and a vast lake unfolded before her eyes.
The moon’s silvery glow illuminated the water’s surface, making it easy to see the small tent pitched by the shore.
It was Zeng Zhuyue—she hadn’t slept at the Battle Pet Guild’s camp but had instead come to this secluded spot, keeping the blue whale company by the lake.
Su Su’s original intention was to check how severe the first case of a battle pet being unable to leave water was.
But the awkward part was—the other party wasn’t asleep either.
That familiar figure knelt by the shore, while the blue-haired man soaking in the shallow water leaned forward and…
The moonlight gently bathed the two figures, their embrace tender and lingering…
Su Su hastily retreated back into the vegetation.
She began pondering what kind of constitution she had—why did she always stumble upon these intimate and ambiguous scenes every night?
She had witnessed far more intense sights in her past life, yet she still couldn’t quite get used to them.
Might as well head back and keep watch properly.
Su Su silently retreated.
After she left, the black snake that had been following her did not leave. Instead, it quietly peeked out from behind a tree, observing the couple in the distance.
Lips pressed together, an intimate embrace.
The simple-minded snake, which so far had only learned to lick the corners of the female’s lips, watched attentively, carefully studying every detail.
Its tongue flickered unconsciously.
That restless heat, which had subsided with the end of spring rains, surged up once more… It did not have a human body, could not share such intimacy with the female. It did not have lips or a tongue to entangle with hers…
A hint of envy flashed through the black snake’s vertical pupils.
But it would have a chance in the future…
The thick python slithered down the tree trunk, winding its way toward the lake’s edge. Only when it was just a meter or two away from the pair did it finally stop.
From this angle, it could observe more clearly.
Still, some angles weren’t quite visible enough, so it slid another meter forward, craning its head to study—
“Ah!”
A startled cry!
Zeng Zhuyue abruptly pushed the blue whale away, staring at the familiar python for two seconds before suddenly scanning her surroundings.
No one else was there.
Only this lone python sat here, its dark green vertical pupils even seeming to urge them to hurry up and continue.
Zeng Zhuyue pursed her lips. “Where’s Su Su? Why are you the only one here?”
The black snake did not respond, merely raising the tip of its tail to gesture at the two of them.
Amazingly, Zeng Zhuyue understood its meaning—
It was telling them to continue kissing!
She scowled, stood up angrily, and returned to her tent.
Only the blue whale remained soaking in the shallow water. Having been interrupted in an intimate moment, he wasn’t the least bit annoyed. Instead, he smiled at the domineering and sinister-looking fellow species before him.
“What are you doing here alone?”
The black snake remained silent, staring at his mouth for a long time. A sudden surge of jealousy rose in its heart, and with a flick of its tail, it sent a splash of water flying—drenching the blue whale completely.
Yet the latter was still unbothered. Instead, he directly pointed out the snake’s thoughts. “You’re jealous of me.”
“Hiss!”
“You like your master too, don’t you?”
Master?
The black snake scoffed in disdain.
That was its girlfriend, its mate.
The blue whale grew intrigued by this fellow species. “You’re clearly capable of transforming into human form. Why won’t you do it?”
“Humans find it hard to accept our original forms. Only by becoming one of them can you stay with them forever.”
The black snake agreed with his statement.
But then it thought of its own transformed appearance…
No! Absolutely not, at least for now!
The blue whale held its gaze for a while before suddenly realizing something. “Your human form still has very obvious non-human traits, doesn’t it?”
“Hiss.”
The black snake admitted it.
“Then there’s no helping it.” The blue whale looked at it sympathetically. “Maybe your master just wouldn’t be able to accept it.”
Compared to his original form, this fellow species’ true form was far more terrifying to humans.
If it couldn’t hide certain inhuman traits upon transformation… it might as well stay in its original form.
Would she be able to accept it?
The black snake couldn’t help but recall how Su Su had looked—pale and drained of color—after seeing its true form for the first time.
And at their very first encounter, she had trembled all over in fear at the sight of it.
Back then, it had relished her fear. That meant this human had already been conquered, intimidated by its presence.
But now…
The black snake suddenly grew furious.
It slapped the lake surface again! A towering wave crashed down, drenching the blue whale in a massive splash!
“Lan Jing!”
Hearing the commotion, Zeng Zhuyue emerged from the tent, just in time to see her partner get completely soaked by the water.
She turned angrily toward the culprit—only to find that the culprit had already disappeared.
“How the hell does she train her battle pets?!” Zeng Zhuyue couldn’t help but fume. “Rushing over to stir up trouble in the middle of the night for no reason!”
The blue whale wiped the water off his face, still smiling. “Maybe it’s jealousy.”
“Jealousy? Jealous of what?”
The blue whale merely smiled without answering.
He had no intention of telling his partner that—unlike Jiang Hong’s cheetah—that snake wasn’t just staying in its original form for the sake of survival. It seemed to be aiming for transformation.
And if that were the case, the black snake would undoubtedly compete for that Grade 7 Crystal with everything it had.
Their chances… were almost nonexistent.
The blue whale took Zeng Zhuyue’s hand and suddenly said, “Zhuyue, let’s focus on getting a Grade 6 Crystal first. You should upgrade yourself first.”
He didn’t want all of her efforts to be spent on him alone.
—
Inside the off-road vehicle.
Pang Cancan was curled up in the backseat, about to fall asleep when she suddenly shivered. She had no idea why, but she felt an eerie chill crawl up her spine.
She huddled deeper into her blanket, muttering to herself, “Maybe the desert gets too cold at night…”
Unaware of what had just transpired outside, she drifted off to sleep.
Back at the campfire.
Su Su absentmindedly stirred the embers with a stick, watching the flickering flames as she sighed softly.
The black snake remained obediently curled up in her lap, unusually well-behaved, as if trying to prove it had fully accepted her “lesson.”
But Su Su wasn’t so sure.
She could still remember how, the first time she had tried to educate it, the snake had acted obedient and understanding—only for her to catch it red-handed repeating the same behavior the very next night.
This time, was it truly listening? Or just biding its time?
She sighed again, rubbing its smooth head.
Xiao Hei lifted its gaze, golden-green vertical pupils fixating on her with a deep, unreadable emotion.
If it were human, it would probably be looking at her with a mixture of longing and restraint.
But right now, in its current form, it simply rested its head against her palm, flicking its tongue in a silent plea for affection.
Su Su patted its head.
“Sleep. We have another long journey ahead tomorrow.”
The black snake obediently coiled up, closing its eyes.
But even as it pretended to rest, its mind remained restless.
Someday… I will have a form that can stay by your side forever.
A trace of determination flashed through its vertical pupils before they finally shut.
—
Pang Cancan tucked herself into her bedding comfortably, stretching lazily before her gaze landed on her backpack.
She suddenly recalled Sister Su Su’s words from earlier—“Don’t let Xiao Hei see.”
With the zipper pulled so tightly shut, how could Xiao Hei possibly see?
Even if it did, it was just an illiterate snake—would it even understand what was in the book?
Sister Su Su was just being overly protective, like a parent afraid their child would be led astray.
In Pang Cancan’s opinion, it wasn’t that easy to corrupt someone.
She reached for her backpack, pulling out her favorite bedtime reading material, planning to enjoy a couple of pages before drifting off to sleep.
As soon as she flipped it open, a pitch-black, unidentified hard object slipped out from between the pages, landing softly on her blanket.
Huh?
Pang Cancan picked it up and examined it under the dim nightlight. After a few moments, she finally recognized what it was—
A scale. A shed black snake scale.
Why was Xiao Hei’s scale tucked inside her book?
Pang Cancan’s mind went blank for three seconds. Then, she gasped and bit down on four of her fingers, her brain rapidly processing the situation.
Should she tell Sister Su Su about this?
What if Sister Su Su confiscated her books?
Maybe… maybe when the backpack fell earlier and her books scattered in the car, Sister Su Su accidentally mixed in an old scale that Xiao Hei had shed long ago while picking them up?
Yes! That must be it!
There was no other possibility!
After repeatedly convincing herself, Pang Cancan carefully put the scale aside, closed the book, and slowly lay back down—
But no matter how she tried, she just couldn’t sleep.
…Wait.
How could a loose scale just happen to get tucked inside the pages?
Unless…