Hahahahahaha

Sharp snake scales swept past Yu Xing from behind, running down his spine and sending shivers down his spine.

His pupils contracted; Xu Wan was still standing in front of him, so behind her was...

The sound of swimming gradually became clearer in his mind.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the tip of a tail, extremely sharp, rubbing against his ankle and extending into the distance behind him, out of sight.

Yu Xing's face was held by Xu Wan, making it difficult for her to move. She felt that Xu Wan's face had become ugly for the first time. The stiffness beneath her skin made her look no longer like a stunning star, but a fake.

The Uncanny Valley effect is perfectly demonstrated at this moment.

The snake behind him seemed ready to pounce; if he agreed to give blood, its tail would pierce his body and extract the terms of the deal.

"Wait." Yu Xing suddenly "woke up," turned his head and broke free from Xu Wan's hand. He staggered to his feet, but leaned against the camera because his whole body was numb.

The Snake Woman, who had just become suspicious because of his actions, was relieved upon seeing him again.

The atmosphere on the camera is too intense; if you keep leaning against it, you'll only endure stronger cognitive attacks and become more and more obedient.

So it continued to manipulate Xu Wan's consciousness and asked, "What are you worried about?"

"With so many cameras here, which one will determine who gets control?" Yu Xing asked breathlessly, scrutinizing Xu Wan intently. "If I give you my blood, can you use it to rise to power and become the one in control? What will happen to my brother?"

His chest heaved violently, his eyes were already somewhat blurred, and his tone revealed a hint of ruthlessness. "Xu Wan, I don't trust you."

Xu Wan remained silent for two seconds.

In those two seconds, it was hard to say whether the Snake Woman was organizing her words or whether Xu Wan's true feelings had been touched, hence her silence.

Two seconds later, Xu Wan spoke again, her voice devoid of emotion. "Child, look behind you."

Yu Xing did as instructed and looked in that direction.

His deep blue pupils began to tremble.

Behind him, in the middle of the boundless screen of light, a long shadow moved freely.

Its enormous body was semi-transparent, and the patterns on its tail gleamed with an eerie luster. Judging by its thickness, the tail was as big as a bucket, and it might take Yu Xing both arms to hug it.

Above the long, winding snake tail is the upper body of a slender woman.

Her long hair obscured her breasts, and the woman, high above him like a goddess, looked down at him in the light and shadow. Her cold, serpentine eyes were devoid of any emotion, but the corners of her bright red lips turned up slightly, creating a bewitching beauty.

"She" was much larger than what Yu Xing saw in Medusa's memory.

In that memory, his body was only slightly larger than Medusa's, and with the height of his tail, he appeared like a giant.

This time, "she" truly is a giant.

Its tail alone was so winding and twisted that its entirety could not be seen, and the woman's upper body was three or four times larger than Yu Xing's, like a statue in a temple hall, exuding a divine aura that inspired worship.

The moment their eyes met, the cacophony of celebratory sounds on the screen receded like a receding tide, and the whole world fell silent.

Yu Xing saw the Snake Woman's red lips part slightly, a strange voice echoed in his mind, "Xu Wan is not qualified to be the controller."

"Her body, and even her soul, were created by me."

"She can only serve as a suitable tool to help you control this world... If you don't like her, you can kill her and choose someone else."

The promise of "the gods" carries great weight.

It sounds reassuring.

A voice kept screaming in my heart, "She doesn't lie, this is really how it is, you can rest assured, she's like a god!"

As cognition gradually spiraled out of control, Yu Xing allowed it to spread unchecked.

As long as he understands that the real evil god "Qianjie" is still in Yin Yang City, while the one in Nanshui Town is nothing more than a inferior product, a small snake, he will not be affected.

The Qianjie on his chest were burning hot, bringing waves of sensation.

Why do you want my blood?

Yu Xing, holding onto the camera, stubbornly pressed for an answer.

"The Fang family bloodline is irreplaceable." The Snake Woman's tail swayed gently as she slowly leaned down, getting closer to Yu Xing.

The tip of its tail wrapped around Yu Xing's right leg, clinging to it, sliding over his thigh, and finally encircling his waist, holding him tightly without being too loose.

"The camera is just a form, not the key to determining who controls it. I will infuse your blood into the original book; you've heard your brother mention this, haven't you?"

The beautiful, non- Snake Woman's face drew closer and closer, stopping just inches away.

She extended her long, forked tongue, its coldness reminiscent of a morgue, and gently licked Yu Xing's neck, a slight smile playing on her lips.

It wasn't a smile, but it finally stripped her of her "divine" appearance, revealing a truly eerie quality.

"Um..." Yu Xing moved aside, feeling a little uncomfortable with this kind of contact, and went along with it, asking, "That book... is it still there?"

"Shouldn't it have disappeared by now?"

"I've always been here." The Snake Woman coiled around Yu Xing and suddenly soared into the air!

She continued to rise, and Yu Xing was also carried along, swaying back and forth. They passed through increasingly taller light screens, finally stopping in front of an ordinary light screen.

The image on the screen was of the Fang Mansion.

Compared to other places, the Fang Mansion was eerily quiet, lacking any festive atmosphere.

But it was precisely this quietness that allowed Yu Xing to see the thin line in the very center of the screen.

His eyes emitted an almost eerie blue light. His Spiritual Eye activated, and the light screen in his eyes gradually disintegrated and transformed, forming the shape of a book.

This is... the very first book, disguised as a light screen and mixed in with many other screens!

This is the origin of everything!

The long-silent system suddenly spoke.

[Get it, just take it! Once it's in your hands, I can fuse with it immediately, and this snake won't have a chance to be taken back!]

This was the first time Yu Xing had ever heard the system exhibit such a strong emotional fluctuation.

A smile subtly appeared in his eyes as the Snake Woman lifted him up in front of the "book," still trying to bewitch him.

"Agree. From now on, your brother, your father, your... sister-in-law, will all be under your control."

"All I want is for you to manage Nanshui Town well. With my help, that condition won't be difficult to achieve."

Yu Xing raised his hand in a daze, seemingly wanting to touch the screen displaying the Fang Mansion with his finger, and the Snake Woman followed him.

The book has transformed into a screen of light, and no one can touch its physical form.

In the next instant, the screen was suddenly and accurately "grabbed" by Yu Xing —he grabbed the spine of the book!

The open pages snapped shut, and Yu Xing swiftly snatched the book into his arms, where it dissolved into tiny specks. The images on the other screens all shuddered violently.

[Integration has begun, estimated time thirteen minutes. Yu Xing, hold on.]

The system's barely concealed excitement and solemnity, along with the obvious shock on the Snake Woman's beautiful face, were both captured by Yu Xing, creating a bizarre contrast.

The next second, the Snake Woman realized what had happened and let out an angry scream!

What did you do?!

The snake's body writhed wildly, swinging and slamming Yu Xing around in the air. Unfortunately, the light screens had no physical form and could not cause any real harm to Yu Xing. The only discomfort was the snake's tail, which was tightening more and more.

"Where did my book go?!"

As a being of high status, the Snake Woman sensed the complete erasure of the hidden connection between herself and the book the moment it disappeared. The book was like a drop of water falling into the ocean, leaving no trace on the human in front of her.

How could this happen?

Only the book itself can instantly unravel this connection!

Wait, the book itself?

The book has arrived? It's on Fang Xing?!

A ferocious look appeared on her beautiful face. She suddenly lifted Yu Xing up in front of her and tightened her snake tail violently.

Even if she were incredibly naive, she could sense that something was amiss at this point. Seeing the relaxed expression on Fang Xing's face, boundless anger surged within her.

She is a giant serpent, not skilled in poison, but particularly adept at strangulation and constriction.

Her snake tail tightened its coils, as if it intended to kill the human before it.

Yu Xing could feel a tremendous external force squeezing into his waist and chest, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.

The feeling of suffocation spread down his neck, and the sharp snake tail pressed against his throat, full of threat.

"Fang Xing, do you know what you're doing?" The Snake Woman ultimately didn't kill him outright. Her breasts heaved even more noticeably than Yu Xing's earlier, showing that she was trying her best to suppress her anger.

"Where did you put the book? Or rather—when did the 'book' on you begin to usurp your power to do all this?"

As she asked the question, she loosened her tail slightly to prevent the person from suffocating and becoming unable to speak.

Yu Xing chuckled softly.

The laughter grew louder and louder, completely obscuring any sign of suffocation.

Unlike other cannon fodder villains, the Snake Woman didn't ask "What are you laughing at?" Instead, she stared intently at Yu Xing's face with a cold and probing gaze.

Yu Xing laughed heartily.

He even laughed uncontrollably, a few tears streaming down his face, and he said haltingly, "Sorry... this is the first time I've ever... discovered that an evil god can be this stupid, ha... hahahaha!"

The snake's tail tightened suddenly, Yu Xing's bones creaked.

"Although... you can't quite be considered that evil god yet..."

Yu Xing's arm was still free. He raised one hand to wipe away the tears from the corner of his eye, and began to recount the events to the Snake Woman with a cruel twist. "You were the one who brought me here, you were the one who handed me the book, and even in the beginning, you gave Fang Xiao a hint, controlling his mind to tell me about the book."

"Isn't what you're after all for new bloodlines?"

"You must be excited that I came to Nanshui Town on my own initiative, right? Don't you feel like you've been saved from the worst of times, and that things have taken a turn for the better?"

"Ah, after I arrived, you realized that rather than completely controlling me and taking the risk of not being proficient in film and unable to control this world, it would be better to cooperate with me, allowing me to stay here voluntarily, continuing your relationship with Fang Deming, so that the balance of this world can be maintained for longer."

"You used everything to tempt me, and then brought me here on the Snow Festival, a day when one can gather the power of faith and become the strongest."

"You think everything is foolproof, but you look at me like I'm a caged bird."

You think I can't escape, and I don't even want to, right?

Yu Xing merely repeated what the Snake Woman had done, but his tone was extremely mocking; in other words, he was being shameless, so shameless that the Snake Woman just wanted to devour him whole right now.

Yu Xing's blue eyes met the Snake Woman's snake pupils, and her inherently wicked nature suddenly took over.

He reached out and touched the snake's tail that was wrapped around him, his fingertips slowly exploring the gaps in the scales, as if a sudden ambiguity had arisen.

But his gentle actions changed in an instant; he pinched a scale between his fingers and ripped it off, drawing blood.

A hearty laugh tinged with provocation.

"Hahahaha... What happened, Qianjie? How could an evil god be played like this from beginning to end? How pitiful~"

Upon hearing the words "Qianjie" uttered by him, the Snake Woman finally bared her teeth, revealing her sharp fangs.

She said fiercely, "You know everything!"

Only those who know the inside story, or at least have some understanding of Yin Yang City, would know the name of the evil god.

This proves that it really was a scam from beginning to end.

She thought that what she was doing to Fang Xing was something Fang Xing had seen through all along, and that even his coming to Nanshui Town was part of the plan behind the scenes by [the book].

I just don't know what level this [book] is.

While consumed by rage, the Snake Woman also felt a sense of apprehension.

However, this is ultimately her territory. The disappearance of the book only means that the story will no longer continue. The stories that have already been written and filmed will remain in Nanshui Town for a long time.

Now is her chance.

A bloodthirsty glint flashed in the Snake Woman's eyes as she asked menacingly, "Aren't you afraid I'll strangle you? Books possess wisdom, but lack direct combat ability."

Even granting power requires rules; it is the one most bound by rules, and it cannot protect you!

"Tell me! What exactly do you want the book on your body to do with you?!"

In terms of sheer power in a direct confrontation, Yu Xing is definitely no match for the Snake Woman.

Humans have an advantage because of their size. When facing creatures of similar size, whether they are ferocious beasts or giant pythons, humans are just small fry.

If insects were as big as humans, then humans would undoubtedly be torn apart and devoured by them.

Not to mention, the Snake Woman was also an avatar of an evil god, and although this avatar was foolish, its aura was still stronger than Yu Xing's.

The power of the Ghost Tree lies in its curse. Even though the tree itself possesses a powerful body, Yu Xing is not a tree.

He inappropriately thought of Yu Fengchen, that guy was the true human-shaped Ghost Tree, whose physical strength must have reached a terrifying level.

But Yu Xing was only distracted for a second.

Pain surged towards him from all directions, and his bones and flesh groaned as if they were being crushed.

But his expression remained unchanged.

It was just pain; he could completely endure it.

Even if the Snake Woman really shreds him to pieces, he can be resurrected.

The most crucial step—obtaining the book itself from Nanshui Town —has already been completed by the Snake Woman. The remaining tasks must be completed step by step.

Yu Xing's confident demeanor fueled the Snake Woman's suspicions, and she threatened viciously, "If you don't speak, I'll throw you down."

In a sense, this is high altitude.

The Snake Woman can levitate; she coils around Yu Xing so that Yu Xing can reach the same height as her.

If she were to release Yu Xing would undoubtedly fall from this point, which is already several stories high, enough to kill a human being.

But Yu Xing only said, "Why don't you give it a try?"

The Snake Woman stared at him coldly, then slowly released her tail.

If she had a choice, she wouldn't want to kill this human.

In any case, Nanshui Town is on the verge of collapse and needs the Fang family's bloodline to stabilize it; she also needs Young Master Fang.

Damn it, if the book were still here, she would forcibly pierce Young Master Fang's skin right now, take his blood, and merge it with the book.

Just like how she treated Fang Xiao, she forced him first, and then took things slowly afterwards. It just meant that the time to achieve a stable balance would be shorter. It wasn't the optimal solution, but it was perfectly acceptable.

But with the book gone, there was no point in her piercing Young Master Fang's body.

She now needs to get information about the book's whereabouts and other details from the young master. She still has many trump cards up her sleeve, and there's still time to salvage the situation.

The Snake Woman used only the last segment of her tail to loosely entwine Yu Xing, Yu Xing swayed precariously.

Tell me, where is the book?

Yu Xing licked her cheek with her tongue, a strange smile playing on her lips.

Thirteen minutes.

He said, "Oh no, after this delay, there are still ten minutes left."

"What?" The Snake Woman felt a sense of foreboding, then realized, "The [book] inside you, you call it a system, right? The system ate my book?"

"What do you mean 'your book'? Once it's in my hands, it's mine." Yu Xing said confidently, casually plucking another translucent scale from her. "You can't take it back now, so just throw me down."

"Ha, you're trying to provoke me. Do you really think I wouldn't dare?" The Snake Woman sneered, loosening her grip on him a little more, letting him sway in the air.

Tell me, what level is your system?

If the level is low, even if she merges with this book from Nanshui Town, she can still take it and use it.

It might even be better to use.

"I won't tell you~" Yu Xing nonchalantly avoided the topic, and then--

He was thrown down by the Snake Woman.