Xiao Yu instantly transformed into a giant snake, slithering between their legs and lifting them onto its back.
Snakes moved several times faster than humans through the mountains and forests.
With Xiao Yu's venom clearing the path, a three-hour journey was reduced to just one hour.
However, Liu Jie and Wang Xiaotao were terrified out of their minds.
A snake, it was a snake!
"Did you guys hear that? What's that rustling sound, like something's approaching?"
"Didn't hear anything! Could it be your imagination?"
The henchman guarding the entrance listened carefully for a while.
Was it his imagination?
No way.
There was definitely a rustling sound.
"You didn't hear it? It sounds like some kind of reptile. Could it be an異種 (yi zhong)?"
The teammates immediately loaded their firearms.
"We haven't eaten meat for days. It would be great if it were an 異種 (yi zhong)!"
The thought of the taste of 異種 (yi zhong) made their mouths water.
It had been some time since they started hunting 異種 (yi zhong) to eat.
異種 (yi zhong) were large and meaty.
Although hunting one was difficult and could result in casualties, the large size of an 異種 (yi zhong) meant they could eat for a long time from a single kill, making them much more useful than hunting rabbits or pheasants.
Most importantly, the meat was delicious, unlike that of ordinary animals.
Someone activated their infrared vision, preparing to search for the 異種 (yi zhong).
Suddenly, a woman's voice came from above.
"Excuse me, is this Old Bird's territory? I have something I'd like to discuss with Old Bird."
Everyone looked up, following the sound.
The first thing they saw was a delicate and beautiful snake's face.
It was beautiful, but... it was incredibly large.
The entrance to the base was a narrow gorge.
On either side were rugged, difficult mountain paths, with complex terrain and layers of peaks. There was only one way in and out.
Because of this terrain, the base was easy to defend and hard to attack.
This chasm was supposed to be their life-saving tool, but it was useless against the giant snake.
Flying birds and beasts found it hard to enter, but snakes were different. They were soft, slippery, and could move silently anywhere.
Now, Xiao Yu's body was coiled around the mountain, its head hanging down, flicking its tongue at them.
Everyone's legs turned to jelly in fear.
One person couldn't take it and fainted on the spot.
The captain shouted, "Enemy attack, quick, an 異種 (yi zhong) enemy attack!"
The team members raised their guns and began to shoot wildly at Xiao Yu.
Xiao Yu tilted its head, its dark eyes instantly turning into vertical pupils, and it let out a roar at them.
Even though it was just a hissing sound, the small amount of venom that escaped its mouth was enough to paralyze thousands of people.
Those hiding in the mountains were fine, but the few on the surface turned pale and fainted within moments.
Fu Yunting patted its head, "Xiao Yu, stop messing around. If you kill them, we'll have to level the base to get the spring water, which will be too troublesome."
Xiao Yu obediently closed its mouth.
It twisted its body aggrievedly.
"I know it's not your fault. They fired first. I don't blame you."
Xiao Yu slowly lowered itself down the mountainside, pressing its body and head down, gently letting them off.
Fu Yunting jumped down and helped An Nuan down.
When Wang Xiaotao landed, his legs were weak, and he sat down on the ground.
Liu Jiang pulled him up, "Brother, are you okay?"
"I'm... I'm fine. It's my first time riding a giant snake, it was a little scary."
Xiao Yu retracted to about two meters in length, coiling around An Nuan and Fu Yunting.
When Wang Xiaotao turned his head and met its gaze, he almost fainted again.
Liu Jiang laughed, "This is nothing. You'll know what real fear is when you see that giant zombie later!"
Wang Xiaotao was so surprised he couldn't speak.
He had heard rumors of high-level zombies in their community for a long time.
But he never expected that it would be even more terrifying than this giant snake.
Fortunately, they were partners. Otherwise... Wang Xiaotao didn't dare to think about it.
An Nuan gave them detox pills. As soon as the captain woke up, she smiled kindly.
"Huang Xiaoting told us there was spring water here. We just want to take a little. Could you help us out?"
Huang Xiaoting had visited twice, so the captain recognized her.
She also walked over and said, "These are our partners. They just want to take a little spring water. Brother Chen, please help and inform Old Bird, okay?"
Chen Wang hadn't recovered yet. He looked at Xiao Yu, his body still trembling.
But what was most important for a man? Face!
Especially in front of women, he absolutely couldn't lose face.
Chen Wang feigned composure, "You brought such a fierce 異種 (yi zhong) just to borrow some spring water? Do you expect me to believe that?"
"Fierce?"
An Nuan hugged Xiao Yu, nuzzling and kissing it, then hung it around her neck like a piece of jewelry.
"It's very cute. How is it fierce?"
Chen Wang: ... This woman might be fiercer than the snake.
Huang Xiaoting pulled him up, "Brother Chen, trust me this once. Please tell Old Bird. We'll just take some spring water and leave."
"I'm not taking your water for free. We're all neighbors; it's only right to help each other out."
Huang Xiaoting handed him a bag of rice and a large ham.
"I'll trade you for these."
Chen Wang was still hesitating. Huang Xiaoting leaned close to his ear and whispered.
"Brother Chen, when they offer face and show good faith through exchange, you'd better agree."
"If we fall out and stop being reasonable, you'll get beaten, people will die, and in the end, you'll end up working for them."
Chen Wang was stunned.
This was their base. What right did these people have to be so arrogant?
But he remembered Xiao Yu.
A giant snake that could transform at will and could incapacitate them with a puff of breath. If they really fought, they wouldn't gain anything.
Chen Wang frowned, "Alright, you guys follow me. This snake..."
"Together."
Fu Yunting interrupted him stiffly, walking into the base without allowing for refusal.
Chen Wang suddenly felt a chill down his spine.
He released a communication bird to report ahead.
By the time they arrived, the base was on high alert.
An Nuan realized when she entered that the construction was quite good.
It must have been a mountain resort that had been renovated. All the houses were built into the mountain walls, with the mountain serving as a natural protective layer.
Living here would indeed be effective against external attacks.
Most of the people in the base were ordinary people, but they were well-equipped with weapons, patrolling and guarding their homes.
The remaining third were ability users, responsible for hunting and finding supplies.
An Nuan saw the weapons and knew they were not ordinary.
She said half-jokingly, "I thought I'd walked into an arms dealer's den. You've got everything!"
Old Bird opened his eyes and walked out of a house, wiping water from his beard and flicking it onto the ground.
"Little sister, you know about arms dealers? What, have you bought arms from me before?"
Fu Yunting narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "Old Bird? You mean Han Wen, right?"
Hearing the name, Old Bird craned his neck and stared at Fu Yunting, saying in disbelief.
"You... you're the eldest son of the Fu family, aren't you? You've grown so big!"