Do Snakes Also Like to Read?

Chapter 17: Do Snakes Like Reading Too?

The administrator was baffled and asked the security guard on duty outside. "What? You don't know yet? Hurry up and Google it."

"You guys were on duty last night, patrolling the building. Did you see anyone?"

The security guards exchanged glances, also finding it strange. After thinking carefully, one replied, "We didn't see any suspicious personnel yesterday. Plus, the main door and windows were all intact. It would be hard for someone to sneak in."

They patrolled during both the first and second halves of the night and didn't hear anything. Moreover, the library was in a secluded location, with few people even during the day, let alone at night.

"Then it's strange, who could it be?"

After their fruitless investigation, they had no leads. They wanted to check the surveillance footage, but unfortunately, that area was a blind spot, and the cameras couldn't cover it.

They speculated that the person behind this might be emboldened by this very reason, hence their repeated provocations.

The administrator made a decisive move and installed a surveillance camera there.

"No matter what demon or monster you are, you won't be able to hide now!"

However, when they returned the next day.

The books were still scattered on the ground in the same positions, as if provoking them. The administrator, furious, dragged the security guards to the surveillance room.

"Good heavens, they're really stubborn. Didn't they see the camera? I want to see who's this bored."

He was determined to find out who was playing pranks.

However, after watching the surveillance footage for an entire day, not only was there no person, but not even a ghost of anyone had approached.

Because that area was rather secluded and in the deepest part, the books placed there were mostly miscellaneous or rarely borrowed. Throughout the day, not a single person had passed by.

Looking at the empty footage on the monitor, with the sun shining brightly outside, a chill inexplicably crept up the administrator's spine.

Even the security guards looked fearful and couldn't help but say, "We've been watching for most of the day, could it really be a ghost!"

The administrator forced himself to remain calm. "What nonsense are you talking about? How can there be ghosts in the world? It must be man-made."

"It's difficult to act during the day, so they must have acted at night."

This possibility was quite likely, as the books were all open. It's not like ghosts enjoy reading, right?

"Perhaps someone sneaked in after I left work, when the library was empty, taking advantage of your laxity."

They continued to review the surveillance footage. The scenes were unchanging, making them drowsy and yawn.

It was around 8 PM by then.

"Bang!"

Suddenly, a dull thud came from the surveillance feed, immediately capturing their attention.

However, after clearly seeing the image before them, they were all chilled to the bone.

A book simply fell from the air. The surrounding doors and windows were all closed, and there was no wind, yet it seemed as if an invisible, inexplicable force was at play.

The security guard was already elderly. He had thought that working in the library would be leisurely and safe, but he had never witnessed such a scene and wished he could resign immediately.

"This, this place is haunted! There's clearly no wind around, how did the book fall down?"

The security guard's teeth were chattering. After all, he was older and still believed in such things. While earning money was important, his own life was even more so.

"Don't talk nonsense here. Perhaps the book wasn't placed properly and just accidentally fell."

Although the administrator was also a little scared, he didn't believe in ghosts or spirits. He continued to watch bravely.

Soon, a black figure appeared under the camera.

"Huh, what is that—"

The administrator quickly paused the footage and zoomed in repeatedly.

It was actually a little black snake!

How did this little black snake get in here?

"How can there be a snake here?"

The subsequent footage was even more unheard of, defying all logic.

The administrator and the security guards widened their eyes. Although a little scared, a sliver of curiosity drove them to continue watching, bracing themselves.

The snake coiled its tail around a corner of a book page and, with surprising dexterity, turned the page!

The security guard who had wanted to resign was momentarily stunned. He exchanged a look with the administrator, even rubbing his eyes, thinking he was hallucinating.

"Th-that, did I see that correctly? Was that a snake turning a page just now?"

His companion beside him also looked uncertain.

The administrator rewound and watched again. It was indeed the snake turning the page. Then, the little snake coiled itself on top of the books, looking as if...

It was reading!

At the same time, by slowing down the playback speed, he finally captured a frame from the moment the book fell.

Just as the book was about to fall, a pointed snake head was faintly visible behind it. This meant the book didn't fall for no reason; it was pushed down by the snake.

Everyone was speechless. If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes, it would be hard to believe such an absurd scene was unfolding before them.

A snake nudged a book off the shelf and then began to read.

What a bizarre turn of events!

This was the common thought that flashed through everyone's minds.

The security guard couldn't help but murmur, "Could it be that the books that fell in the previous few days were all because of this snake?"

The administrator added from the side, "And although the books that fell each day were different, their categories were the same – all classical Chinese and ancient texts."

"Books like the River Diagram and Luo Scroll and the Yi Jin Jing are hard for people to understand, so how could a snake possibly understand them?"

It was utterly preposterous.

Everyone stared at the scene before them, unable to snap out of their daze.

Now, everything was clear. It wasn't ghosts causing trouble, but a snake.

However, this reality was even harder for them to accept than the idea of ghosts.

How could a snake possibly read books? It couldn't possibly be an evolved creature, could it?

The next evening, the administrator didn't go home. Instead, he and the security guard lay in wait, wanting to see if the snake would come again.

Unfortunately, by the next morning, the little black snake hadn't reappeared, as if its previous actions were just a momentary whim.

"Perhaps this snake just came here at night to find a place to rest, and it just looked like it was reading," the administrator offered a strained explanation, though his expression remained puzzled.

But there were still many mysteries. For instance, why would the snake go to such lengths to push those books down, and how could it be explained that it flipped through the pages with its tail?

Upon closer thought, that explanation didn't hold water at all.

Yet, they couldn't fathom what had attracted the snake to behave so unusually.

Such a situation was unheard of, even in the entire animal kingdom.

Unable to figure it out, the administrator decided to stop thinking about it. After all, the snake never appeared again after that.

Everything was relegated to common gossip, and no one truly kept thinking about it. The mundane realities of daily life were the norm.

The library returned to its peaceful state, and the incident was gradually forgotten by everyone. They even doubted if they had hallucinated at the time.

Only the surveillance footage recorded everything that had transpired.