The Mystery of the Great Serpent

"Ahem, isn't it a little inappropriate for you to stay here the whole time?"

Inside the spacious, brightly lit, two-hundred-square-meter luxury training room, Shen Qian glanced at Xiao Xuan with some discomfort.

Xiao Xuan had changed into a black cheongsam and white thigh-high stockings. She was making kung fu tea at a sandalwood tea table in one corner of the room. Amid the curling mist, sweat beaded on her forehead and her cheeks were flushed, making Shen Qian inexplicably restless.

It turned out that Jiuzhou Martial Arts Hall had three Diamond Training Rooms on the top floor, open only to Diamond Card members.

Shen Qian had only learned that moments ago.

According to Xiao Xuan, every Diamond Training Room came with dedicated attendants. She had been chosen by President Zhu to be Shen Qian's personal customer service representative, providing a full range of private services from tea-making to massages.

"If you're really nervous, I can leave too." Seeing Shen Qian's unease, Xiao Xuan smiled gently.

"That works too." Shen Qian nodded.

"Actually... I don't dislike that sort of thing..." Xiao Xuan took a few steps away, then spoke softly with her back to Shen Qian.

Shen Qian froze.

"Don't think I'm some loose girl or anything. It's just that... I have a pretty good impression of you."

The tips of Xiao Xuan's ears had turned crimson, but her words grew smoother. "I'm just an ordinary girl, while you're a talented martial artist with limitless prospects. If you think highly of me, I'd only be happy..."

The training room fell silent. After waiting several seconds without receiving a response from Shen Qian, Xiao Xuan said no more. She lowered her head in disappointment and hurried out.

Shen Qian smacked his lips as he watched Xiao Xuan's graceful figure disappear through the doorway, feeling somewhat regretful.

At least give me time to organize my thoughts...

I'm a pure-hearted seventeen-year-old boy. How could I bring myself to reject you?

Forget it, forget it.

Women will only slow down the speed at which I draw my blade.

After forcibly consoling himself, Shen Qian gathered his focus, took off his shirt, and entered the hall filled with various body-tempering equipment to begin lifting in earnest.

The equipment in the Diamond Training Room was clearly from more high-end brands, and it felt extremely smooth to use.

This time, Shen Qian did not go AFK. His conversation with Xiao Xuan had already told him why President Zhu was being so attentive toward him.

He was worried that if he let the system take over again, President Zhu would want to make him his sworn younger brother too.

Fortunately, Shen Qian's body was currently in an exceptionally starved state. He estimated that even if he trained on his own, the results would not be much worse than what the system could achieve.

Time passed quietly.

Three hours later, Shen Qian stopped when he had almost lost his last shred of strength. He collapsed onto the soft mat and panted heavily.

He had been drained dry.

But he had grown stronger again.

"I just don't know how long it'll take to reach the limit..."

A physical limit of 999 kilograms was absurdly inhuman, but it also created a problem: Shen Qian could forget about condensing vital energy and becoming a true martial artist anytime soon.

After resting for a while, Shen Qian pressed one of the ever-present service bells in the room. Just one minute later, Xiao Xuan entered.

"Bring me something to eat... hmm, enough for ten people."

After thinking for a moment, Shen Qian added, "And if you don't mind, give me another massage."

Xiao Xuan was initially stunned by Shen Qian's request for "enough for ten people," but she snapped out of it upon hearing the latter request. A delighted expression appeared on her face as she nodded.

Another hour later.

Full, refreshed, and in high spirits, Shen Qian reclined on the sofa in the training room. He took a sip of tea and sighed in satisfaction.

Come to think of it, Xiao Xuan's technique really was quite good... of course, it had only been an ordinary massage.

Knock, knock!

A light knock sounded at the door. Shen Qian looked up in confusion. Xiao Xuan was back again?

"Student Shen, it's me, Zhu Deyong. Are you resting?" Zhu Deyong asked in a moderate voice.

"Please come in, President Zhu." Shen Qian sat up.

Dressed casually, the burly Zhu Deyong pushed open the door and entered. He sat on the sofa opposite Shen Qian, rubbed his hands together, and said, "I won't keep you from resting for long, Student Shen. I'll get straight to the point."

Seeing Shen Qian nod, Zhu Deyong smiled. "Student Shen, you're a native of South City, right?"

"More or less. I used to be from Lucheng, but I settled in Jing City over ten years ago."

"Lucheng..." Zhu Deyong looked somewhat dazed. "I heard about that disaster back then. It caused quite a stir!"

Shen Qian's heart stirred at this. He asked, "Then does President Zhu know the truth behind Lucheng's disappearance? The internet has all sorts of explanations. Some say it was an earthquake, while others say there was a problem with the authorities and Lucheng was overrun by Scavengers..."

Zhu Deyong hesitated before lowering his voice. "I wonder if Student Shen has heard a rather mysterious explanation?"

"The Great Serpent?" Shen Qian recalled a niche post he had seen before.

That post claimed that Lucheng had been swallowed whole by a gigantic snake-like creature.

Most netizens believed that the poster was simply seeking attention.

"That's right." Zhu Deyong nodded, his expression serious. "You absolutely must not spread what I'm about to tell you. There's a gag order on this matter above a certain level."

After a pause, Zhu Deyong continued, "I heard it from one of my former comrades. He'd had a little too much to drink at the time... More than ten years ago, the unit he was in received orders to advance toward Lucheng, but they had no idea what they would be facing."

"They never even truly reached Lucheng."

"To this day, I can't forget the expression on my comrade's face when he spoke of it. Given his personality, he shouldn't have shown that kind of expression..."

"What expression?" Shen Qian asked curiously.

"Fear... utter terror."

"So he really saw that Great Serpent?"

"According to his description, that Great Serpent... or rather, that creature was coiled upon the ground, yet its head reached into the clouds. Its body blotted out the sky and covered the earth. When it opened its mouth, all that remained between heaven and earth was scarlet."

"Even more terrifying was the indescribable pressure emanating from that creature. He said that after just one glance, he no longer had the courage to stand."

"My vocabulary isn't very good, and I don't remember many of his exact words. In any case... it was beyond the power of humans to defeat."

Did a Great Serpent capable of swallowing an entire city really exist?

Shen Qian was only half-convinced. "If it truly was beyond human power to defeat, wouldn't the Great Serpent have destroyed the world long ago?"

"Who knows?" Zhu Deyong shrugged. "His entire company was scared limp at the time, and they never actually entered combat. Later, they received orders to retreat, and he didn't know what happened after that."

"I've gotten off topic." Having finished talking about the Great Serpent, Zhu Deyong grew serious. "What I mean is, could I ask Student Shen to help us advertise?"

Sure enough, accepting that Black Diamond Card meant he would have to give something in return.

Once Shen Qian heard Zhu Deyong's request, he felt much more at ease. Jiuzhou Martial Arts Hall was a business at its core. It would have been far too childish for them to throw one hundred thousand at him merely because of his outstanding talent.

"How should I help?"

"It's very simple. Student Shen doesn't really need to do anything. If anyone asks, just say that everything in the promotional brochure is true."

Zhu Deyong chuckled. "The general idea is that Student Shen used to progress slowly in martial arts, but after training at our Jiuzhou Martial Arts Hall, it was as if he had suddenly grasped the secret and began advancing by leaps and bounds. He even broke through to become a martial artist at seventeen..."