It Was Hungry

Generally, Bamboo Vipers, while venomous, aren't too difficult to find. You can always spot their tracks in the deep, damp, and warm mountain forests.

But the White-lipped Bamboo Viper is a different story.

Legend has it that only one in a thousand Bamboo Vipers is a White-lipped Bamboo Viper.

Its venom is also said to be a thousand times more potent than that of a regular Bamboo Viper.

While the "thousand times more potent" claim is best taken with a grain of salt, it's true that the White-lipped Bamboo Viper's venom is indeed much stronger and more dangerous.

Lin Xuan hadn't expected to encounter a White-lipped Bamboo Viper here.

(Holy crap, this White-lipped Bamboo Viper is making eye contact with the streamer! Is it going to attack him next second?)

(This is the forest! If the streamer gets bitten by this venomous snake and doesn't get timely treatment, then...)

(Ah!! Get away, get away! Stay away from the streamer! Don't come any closer!)

(I don't want such a handsome streamer to be in danger!)

(Yeah, I want to keep watching the streamer's broadcast.)

The viewers in the livestream chat were already predicting the worst.

After all, the venomous snake had appeared right by Lin Xuan's feet and looked like it was about to attack.

They couldn't bear to imagine what would happen next.

Lin Xuan looked down at the White-lipped Bamboo Viper that was meeting his gaze. Its eyes were full of life.

A minute passed, and Lin Xuan realized the White-lipped Bamboo Viper hadn't attacked him.

This made him somewhat certain that his Animal Affinity ability was working, and that's why the White-lipped Bamboo Viper wasn't attacking him.

However, staying like this was also a problem.

He had been squatting there for so long that his legs were starting to go numb.

(What's with this White-lipped Bamboo Viper?)

(It's not attacking the streamer, and it's not leaving. What does it want?)

(Yeah, if it's not attacking the streamer, it should just leave!)

Just as the viewers in the livestream chat were wondering, in the next second, the White-lipped Bamboo Viper actually started slowly climbing up Lin Xuan's leg.

???

(Oh my god, is this White-lipped Bamboo Viper trying to get closer to attack the streamer?)

(It's over, this is really over.)

(If we had noticed this White-lipped Bamboo Viper earlier, we could have warned the streamer sooner, and he wouldn't be in this situation.)

(What should we do? Should we contact the Forestry Bureau? Ask them to arrange for someone to bring antivenom?)

At the Xia Country Endangered Animal Research Institute, Su Yao watched the scene on his screen, extremely tense.

He had already told Lin Xuan that if there was ever a chance, they would meet.

But who knew that after such a short time, Lin Xuan had run into danger?

And this was a White-lipped Bamboo Viper, even more venomous than a regular Bamboo Viper!

[Congratulations to the host for unlocking the White-lipped Bamboo Viper illustration book. Animal Rank: S-Class.]

[Foreign Name: White-lipped Tree Viper, Aliases: Bamboo Viper, Green Bamboo Snake, Green Bamboo Marker, Chinese Scientific Name: White-lipped Bamboo Viper, Latin Scientific Name: Cryptelytrops albolabris]

[Kingdom: Animalia, Phylum: Chordata.]

[Class: Reptilia, Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Viperidae, Genus: Trimeresurus, Species: albolabris.]

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining: One Bird-shaped Stealth Drone, One Insect-shaped Micro Drone.]

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining: A positioning and monitoring instrument as small as an earring.]

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining: One equipment upgrade!]

Listening to the System's prompts, even though there wasn't a White-lipped Bamboo Viper crawling on him at the moment, Lin Xuan still felt a little bit happy.

Perhaps this was what it felt like to be in pain yet happy.

Although he didn't get any skills this time, the items the System had rewarded him with were all things he could use.

While Lin Xuan was lost in thought, the White-lipped Bamboo Viper climbed to his shoulder. Then, its head turned towards Lin Xuan's pocket.

Lin Xuan snapped back to reality, glanced over, and saw the White-lipped Bamboo Viper looking at his pocket.

He thought back for a moment and then seemed to understand.

He remembered that he had put some dried meat, which he hadn't finished feeding to the Panda Mother, in that pocket.

Could it be that it smelled the dried meat and was hungry, so it wanted to eat?

Just as he was thinking this, he saw the White-lipped Bamboo Viper slowly crawl to Lin Xuan's pocket. Its head then burrowed inside, and soon it emerged with a piece of dried meat in its mouth.

???

(No way, the only reason this White-lipped Bamboo Viper came near the streamer was for a piece of dried meat?)

(This means the White-lipped Bamboo Viper is hungry and wants to eat.)

(It's eating dried meat, which means it won't harm the streamer anymore?)

(I like that. If it's full, it can leave.)

(Yes, I hope it eats quickly and leaves, so we don't have to worry about the streamer.)

The White-lipped Bamboo Viper wriggled its mouth, slowly swallowing the dried meat into its belly. Then, it continued to search for more dried meat in Lin Xuan's pocket.

In just a few minutes, this White-lipped Bamboo Viper had eaten all the dried meat in Lin Xuan's pocket.

Perhaps because it was full, the White-lipped Bamboo Viper's eyes were filled with satisfaction, and it slowly began to crawl towards the ground.

(Is this White-lipped Bamboo Viper finally full? Is it finally leaving now?)

(No way, I feel like my heart is going to jump out of my chest.)

(I'm sweating all over just watching this for a few minutes!)

(It's good that it's leaving. That way, the streamer can leave too.)

Just as everyone joyfully thought the White-lipped Bamboo Viper would leave.

The next second, a scene that made everyone's jaws drop occurred.

After reaching the ground, the White-lipped Bamboo Viper looked at Lin Xuan and hissed.

Then, it rubbed its triangular head against Lin Xuan's thigh.

It looked just like a small animal affectionately nudging its owner.

(Damn, you're a venomous snake, how can you do that!)

(Look, doesn't this venomous snake rubbing against the streamer look like a cat wanting to be petted?)

(Hey, now that you mention it, I see it too. My cat also rubs its head and body against me when it wants to be petted.)

(People upstairs, are you just showing off that you have cats?)

"Do you want me to pet you?"

Lin Xuan was also very confused by the White-lipped Bamboo Viper's actions. After glancing at the comments, he wondered if this White-lipped Bamboo Viper really wanted him to pet it.

"Hiss~"

The White-lipped Bamboo Viper flicked its tongue and looked at Lin Xuan. In front of everyone's eyes, it actually nodded.

???

Seeing it nod, Lin Xuan swallowed. They say all living things have spirits, but this White-lipped Bamboo Viper is too smart!