*Sss*
A cloud of hot air rose from my mouth as the taotie motif bloomed like a flower, spreading along my cheeks, arms, and legs until it covered my entire body.
With the support of this power, the bone blade shifted slightly, crushing a pebble before moving forward to slice through the debris.
Inside my body, the food I had eaten was rapidly converting into energy, feeding back into my system.
Veins bulged on the back of my hand as the heavy giant bone greatsword trembled, was slowly lifted, and then—swung down!
An air blade sliced through the atmosphere, shooting forward. The human-snake twisted its body, and a patch of long hair on its head was shorn off.
Its murky, orange-yellow pupils contracted before it dove low, timed its strike perfectly, spun rapidly, and whipped its tail!
I slammed the greatsword into the ground, shielding my small body. A resounding *boom* echoed as the entire greatsword was knocked back, plowing a deep furrow into the earth, but it had little effect on me.
‘I’m liking this weapon more and more! It works for both offense and defense!’
I began a running start once again, then used both hands to heave the greatsword into a spin through the air.
Using the momentum from the ground, I rebounded and leaped even higher into the sky, spinning the blade once more for a fierce downward strike.
*Boom! Boom!*
The greatsword struck empty air, but I wasn’t discouraged. Relying on instinct, I gripped the hilt and swung with all my might. My small body spun through the heavy dust, propelled into the air.
I flipped my body, remaining suspended in the air for only an instant.
At the exact moment of my suspension, the giant snake’s tail whipped past with a whistle, cutting through the smoke where I had just been.
‘Haha, you can’t hit me!’
I adjusted my posture and began my descent. My gaze locked onto the hilt, and I grabbed it with precision!
The weight of the fall was channeled into a sudden surge of brute force, dragging the bone sword down and swinging it out once more!
*Clang —*
The bone edge collided with the tail whip. A clump of flesh instantly flew out and landed with a *splat*, twitching a few times before it stopped struggling in the pool of blood.
The smooth cut was eerily covered in thorns, barbs burrowing into the flesh and constantly growing, causing the human-snake to writhe in agony. It destroyed everything around it, creating a vacuum of wreckage.
I didn’t let this opportunity slip away. Taking advantage of its weakened state to finish it off, I ran toward it with the greatsword, making a *thump, thump* sound, prepared to deliver the final blow.
Suddenly, a gunshot interrupted my movements. The human-snake in front of me shuddered and then collapsed limply to the ground.
Lu Xiu walked out from behind the creature, smoke still rising from his gun.
“What took you so long?”
“…Seven, 709?”
No, that wasn’t the point. I looked at him huffily. “You stole my kill!”
“What do you mean ‘stole your kill’? I defeated it with my own skill.”
“I was the one who defeated it!”
“I hit the seven-inch mark. You only shaved off a small section of its tail.”
I gaped.
‘How can this person be so shameless?!’
“I don’t care! I’m the one who put in the most effort anyway! You were just hiding in the back!”
“It’s called looking for the winning strike. It’s called tactics and wisdom.”
He walked over and kicked the human-snake. Seeing that it wasn’t moving, he gestured for me to come over.
“What?”
“Eat it.”
I looked at the pixelated, wriggling, secreting organs, and my expression soured.
This was the first time I didn’t really want to eat something.
“Eating this… isn’t that just cannibalism? I’m not eating it!”
‘I am a good person.’
‘I can’t hurt my own kind… unless I’m too hungry.’
“Fine.” He didn’t force me. He took a small nail from his pocket and inserted it into the human-snake.
“What’s that?”
“A lock soul nail.”
“What does it do?”
“It makes it so the target can’t move or wake up… hmm, it’s a bit like sleep paralysis.”
“I’ve never heard of it.”
“There are many things you haven’t heard of.” Lu Xiu sat on what remained of the creature’s tail and made a call. “Watch more and learn more. That’s the only way you’ll survive. Do you understand?”
“Okay.”
I took a pack of crackers out of the mouth on the stomach and began to crunch on them.
***
After a short wait, a car drove up. Several people in Plague Doctor Masks ran out of the vehicle carrying cases and hurried over.
“Lu Xiu.”
One of them greeted him.
“Yeah. I’ll leave the rest to you.”
As he spoke, he stood up. With a loud *rip*, his expression froze.
I turned my head, my eyes moving from the fabric of his trousers stuck to the human-snake’s skin to the bright red boxers on his butt. I blinked.
“Hahaha! Your pants ripped—ow!”
My head!
I clutched my head, my laughter turning into tears in a single second. My eyes welled up.
Lu Xiu withdrew his hand and looked at the others with a dark face. “You didn’t see anything.”
“Uh… ah, right, right. What should we have for lunch today?”
“Maybe instant noodles.”
“I think No. 42 concrete sounds good too.”
These people were clearly being oppressed by Lu Xiu’s intimidating presence.
Poor me.
I saw him take off his jacket and tie it around his waist, covering those eye-catching, bright red boxers.
He stood to the side with his arms crossed, his aura so low it was terrifying.
The other Plague Doctor Masks braced themselves and began to examine the human-snake.
Soon, one of them let out a quiet, confused sound. “Huh? This…”
“What is it?” Lu Xiu asked.
“…This thing… it doesn’t look like an aberration or a demon… it’s… human. The blood, the tissue… it’s all human.”
The Plague Doctor Mask stood up, shaking a reagent bottle in his hand.
“It’s like… someone forcibly stitched and grafted a group of humans together…”
Lu Xiu’s brow furrowed as he looked at the human-snake, his thumb rubbing the fabric of his clothes.
“Can you trace the source?”
“It’ll be hard… we haven’t found any external traces.”
While the Plague Doctor Mask continued his investigation, Lu Xiu remained deep in thought.
I didn’t bother him. Instead, I held my greatsword and started gnawing on it.
*Crunch, crunch, crunch—*
With my mouth stuffed full, I chewed rapidly.
‘Since the entire greatsword won’t fit, I’ll just bite it into small pieces. That way, I can swallow it!’
‘I really am a genius!’
It was just a bit time-consuming, and since it was hard, it wasn’t easy to chew.
***
Finally, after I had eaten every inch of the greatsword, I let out a satisfied burp.
The Plague Doctor Masks had finished their collection. They notified the Tomb Keepers of the Black Box and left. Lu Xiu didn’t stay any longer and took me back home.
“Lu Xiu, I’m hungry.”
“Food’s in the fridge. Get it yourself.”
I nodded, grabbed three boxes of yogurt, five apples, and two popsicles. I brought them to the living room and started eating.
By the time I finished the yogurt, the apples, and the popsicles, Lu Xiu was still lost in thought.
“Lu Xiu, I’m hungry again.”
“Food’s in the fridge. Get it yourself.”
I nodded, took two boxes of yogurt, one bottle of milk, and one watermelon from the fridge. I brought them to the living room and continued eating.
By the time I finished the yogurt, the milk, and the watermelon, Lu Xiu was still lost in thought.
I rubbed my stomach.
I felt a little full now.
“Lu Xiu, what are you thinking about?”
“That human-snake.” He stared blankly at the coffee table.
“Did you figure anything out?”
“No.”
“Then what were you thinking about just now?”
“The human-snake.”
“And did you figure anything out?”
“No.”
I: “…”
I think he’s got a screw loose.