It seemed that what he feared most had come to pass.
Just two days ago, Lin Hao had been praying that there wouldn't be any snake-related training. Now, it was happening.
Looking down at the dense mass of snakes, Lin Hao's goosebumps erupted all over.
He knew from the practical training instructor yesterday that today's lesson would be to challenge their teammates' greatest fears.
Since this was a team activity, the venue was custom-designed.
Even if Lin Hao hadn't said anything, Ye Xue, as his teammate, knew his greatest fear. That's why she'd come to find him with a smile before dawn.
He had spent the entire night mentally preparing himself, but upon seeing the entire pit filled with snakes of all colors, his composure finally broke.
Why did such creatures as snakes exist?
Even in the interstellar era, how could this creature still be around?
Seeing this, Lin Hao had every reason to suspect that during the great interstellar exodus, some animal lovers had brought these creatures onto the ships.
For reasons unknown, they were later abandoned. Over thousands of years, they had evolved into creatures that resembled snakes but were not quite snakes.
Ye Xue, standing beside Lin Hao, maintained a serene expression as she witnessed the scene.
Instead, she turned to look at the pale-faced Lin Hao and asked with a smile, "Are you afraid of these things?"
Hearing her voice, Lin Hao, despite not wanting to admit that he, a grown man, was afraid of such creatures, nodded somewhat awkwardly.
After all, even if he denied it now, the girl in front of him could tell at a glance that he was terrified.
Since he had been found out, why pretend?
Sometimes, one couldn't be too stubborn.
Seeing this, Ye Xue's smile faded, replaced by a serious expression. "This is just a test for you. Are you going to give up just like this?"
After speaking, Ye Xue slowly leaned closer to Lin Hao's ear, intending to whisper something to him.
However, Lin Hao was no longer someone she could approach as easily as before. The moment he sensed her intention, he reached out, wanting to push her away.
But before his hand could touch her, Ye Xue's slender, fair hand caught his.
Then, Ye Xue gently pulled Lin Hao's arm and whispered into his ear, "You're not scared of these creatures, are you? Think about who you need to protect."
After saying this, she released his hand and slowly retreated to her original position, as if nothing had happened.
As for Lin Hao, Ye Xue's words still echoed in his ears.
Within a minute, Lin Hao's fear-filled eyes turned determined. He then walked towards the snake pit. As he reached the edge, he cast a deep glance at the dense snakes below and began to shed his clothes one by one.
As Lin Hao's clothes diminished, he seemed to remember something. He turned to the girl, who was watching him without blinking, and said with some embarrassment, "Could you turn your face away?"
He knew it; he had forgotten something. There was a girl behind him.
Cough, cough.
When Ye Xue saw Lin Hao turn his head, she seemed to understand the embarrassment typical of his age. She waved her hand indifferently and said, "No need to turn. I'm not interested in a little kid like you. Even if Qin Dongsheng were here, he'd still be a kid. What's there to be shy about?"
Although she said this, she followed his request, turned her body, and looked elsewhere.
Lin Hao, hearing that the girl had no interest in his body, slowly relaxed and continued to shed the rest of his clothes, leaving him completely naked.
His tanned skin glowed under the sunlight, and his well-defined muscles exuded power and beauty.
Ignoring the gentle breeze, Lin Hao lowered his head to glance at the colorful snake pit again and closed his eyes.
He told himself, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. This is all fake. The snakes' venom won't affect me. This is just a simple introductory test. If I can't even overcome this, how can I protect Fei'er?"
After another round of mental preparation, he stepped directly into the snake pit.
The moment his toes touched the slimy surface, his body hairs stood on end, but he endured the sensation.
However, the instant Lin Hao's feet appeared, some of the bolder snakes immediately coiled around his ankles. The crimson scales formed a stark visual contrast against his tanned skin.
The snake slowly tightened its grip on the suddenly appearing prey and then bit his thigh.
As the snake's venom spread through Lin Hao's body, his eyes began to glaze over.
Even his fear of the snakes vanished.
All that remained was a splitting headache.
It was excruciatingly painful, more so than the poison he had drunk at the Zhao family.
Seeing that this creature posed no threat, the venomous snakes began to coil around Lin Hao's body, one after another. Following the first snake's lead, they began to bite him.
As more and more snakes wrapped around him, the light in his eyes was gradually consumed by them.
He struggled to open his eyes and thought he saw Ye Xue, squatting at the edge of the pit, looking at him with a hint of 'disappointment.'
It was as if she were saying, "How could you fall so quickly?"
That look stung Lin Hao's eyes. He tried to raise his hand, but the snakes, unwilling to let go of their prey, tightened their grip even further.
Suddenly, a thought flashed through Lin Hao's sluggish mind, and he whispered a few words.
Then, red flames erupted from every part of Lin Hao's body. The snakes wrapped around him, seeing him still resisting, all began to pump venom into their respective sections of his body.
Suddenly overwhelmed by the intensified venom, Lin Hao, even though his eyes were no longer functioning properly, continued to encourage himself.
Don't be defeated by a few long worms.
If I can face advanced Zerg, why should I be defeated by these unintelligent beasts?
With this thought, Lin Hao increased the output of his flames.
As Lin Hao's flames intensified, the snakes gradually stopped crawling towards him.
The snakes on Lin Hao's body turned to ash, but his body was no longer the same. It was covered in countless bite marks, from which blackish-purple blood oozed.
Seeing this, Lin Hao slowly lifted his heavy eyelids and managed a strained smile at the girl squatting by the pit, saying, "I, I, suc, suc, succeeded."
After saying this, Lin Hao could no longer hold on and sank into a deep sleep.
Ye Xue, watching from the edge of the pit, finally showed a trace of relief on her previously disappointed face.
Not bad.
This is just the beginning. Can you keep going?