The Rampaging Sand Sea Python

More than twenty elite members of the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group advanced toward the Poplar Forest under the leadership of their captain, Yu Hai.

Boom!

A muffled, thunderous rumble suddenly rose from beneath the earth, followed by violent churning in the sand beneath their feet.

Moments later, the ground beneath them exploded.

A massive black shadow over three meters in diameter shot into the sky.

"It... it's a magical beast attack!"

"Heavens! It's a Tier-Two Magical Beast, the Sand Sea Giant Python! Scatter! Scatter now!"

Once they saw the attacker clearly, the group immediately fell into panic.

The Sand Sea Giant Python was the undisputed overlord of the outskirts of the Tagor Desert! Its strength was comparable to that of a six-star Battle Master! Forget their group, which did not even have a single Battle Master—even if their leader Luo Tai were here, he would have to avoid such a ferocious creature in the wilderness.

The Sand Sea Giant Python roared, then slammed its enormous body downward. Its huge tail swept viciously toward the mercenaries, sending yellow sand flying everywhere under that terrifying force.

"Scatter—!"

"Ah—!"

Several mercenaries at the front had no time to dodge and were struck head-on by the snake's tail. The crisp sounds of breaking bones rang through the air as their bodies flew away like kites with cut strings.

Bright red blood splashed across the rolling waves of sand, rapidly spreading into a glaring dark crimson stain.

Just one strike had left the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group with grievous casualties!

The horrifying sight stunned the remaining dozen or so mercenaries! Who cared about formation now? They screamed and fled in every direction like headless flies!

"Stand the fuck still! Don't panic!"

Amid the chaos, an enraged roar exploded across the battlefield!

It was Captain Yu Hai! His face was deathly pale as well, but years of experience allowed him to calm down at once!

"All squad leaders! Organize your men and form the Earth-Locking Formation! Stop running around like women! That beast is huge. As long as we spread out and keep it tied down, we can survive!"

His roar was like a heavy hammer, jolting awake the mercenaries whose minds had been clouded by fear.

"Form up! Form up now!"

"Damn it! Let's fight this beast!"

They were all elites of the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group, not rookies. The sudden assault from the Sand Sea Giant Python had merely thrown them into disarray. Now that they had been shouted at, they came to their senses.

Using their respective squad leaders as cores, the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group's men formed small groups of three to five. With sabers and spears aimed at the giant python, they assembled simple battle formations and surrounded the Sand Sea Giant Python.

"Brothers! That beast may be strong, but it's too large and not agile enough! Aim for its belly and eyes! Attack!"

At Yu Hai's command, he was the first to charge forward with his saber raised!

More than a dozen Dou Qi slashes of varying colors followed, striking at the Sand Sea Giant Python's enormous body from every direction.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

A series of sharp metallic clashes rang out as their attacks struck the Sand Sea Giant Python's heavy scales, scattering showers of sparks.

Roar!

The Sand Sea Giant Python swung its enormous tail, thicker than a water barrel, sweeping across with a violent sonic boom that tore through the air.

"Dodge!"

Yu Hai's pupils contracted as he shouted!

But it was too late. The snake's tail was simply too fast!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three mercenaries who failed to evade did not even have time to scream before the immense force whipped them cleanly in half.

"Captain Yu! This won't work! That beast's defense is insane! We can't even break through its scales! If this continues, all our brothers will die here!" a squad leader shouted anxiously.

"That's right, Captain Yu! Retreat! If we don't retreat now, we'll really be wiped out!"

Listening to his men's terrified cries, Yu Hai felt bitterness fill his heart.

The leader was still waiting for them to provide support. If they returned in such a miserable state and were blamed for it, he would not be able to bear the consequences.

But if they did not retreat, with only these dozen or so brothers, they would likely...

"Retreat! Retreat first!"

After hesitating for less than a second, Yu Hai made his decision.

"Squad leaders! Stay with me and cover the rear! Everyone else, retreat to the sand dunes behind us immediately! Move!"

"Got it!"

Upon receiving the order to retreat, everyone breathed a sigh of relief and began withdrawing in an orderly fashion.

"Beast! I'm your opponent!"

Yu Hai roared and pushed the Dou Qi of his Nine-Star Dou Practitioner level to its limit! With his broadsword in hand, he shot into the air like a cannonball and slashed down at the Sand Sea Giant Python's head!

The other squad leaders also began using their own methods to hold it back.

Once the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group had nearly finished retreating, Captain Yu leaped back and widened the distance between himself and the Sand Sea Giant Python.

"Retreat, retreat, retreat! Hurry!"

The few of them did not dare delay and immediately ran for their lives.

"What rotten luck! We actually ran into a Sand Sea Giant Python here! Our luck is really terrible."

"Tell me about it."

Several squad leaders complained. Normally, on the outskirts of Tagor, magical beasts at the Battle Master level were rare enough. Even magical beasts above the Seven-Star Dou Practitioner level were seldom seen, much less a Sand Sea Giant Python.

"Enough talking. Move!"

Captain Yu's brows drew together. They had not even escaped danger yet, and these idiots were standing around chatting. Were they afraid they would not die fast enough?

After shaking off the Sand Sea Giant Python's pursuit, the remaining mercenaries arrived at a relatively safe sand dune.

A squad leader with a thin mustache panted heavily and looked at Captain Yu, who stood at the front. "Captain Yu, what do we do now?"

Captain Yu wiped the blood from his face. "Rest here for now and tend to the wounded. Once we've caught our breath, we'll go around through those rocky hills to the east. That beast is too large to enter narrow terrain."

"Yes!"

Only then did the surviving mercenaries finally relax. They collapsed onto the ground one after another, bandaging their wounds and drinking water.

But before they could recover, an eerie writhing sensation came from the sand beneath their feet.

Captain Yu's expression changed drastically. He sprang to his feet and roared sharply:

"There's something under us! Move!"

The warning had barely left his mouth when the sand beneath them exploded again. The Sand Sea Giant Python's enormous body burst from the ground, its bloody maw opening and closing as it bit two mercenaries who had failed to dodge around the waist.

Accompanied by screams and the teeth-grinding sound of bones shattering, the two men were swallowed directly by the giant python.

"What's going on?! How did this beast catch up again?!"

"Has this beast become sentient?!"

"It's over... we're finished..."

Panic spread through the crowd like a plague. All color drained from the mercenaries' faces. Some were frozen in place with fear, while others ran wildly like headless flies. Cries of alarm and wails rose one after another.

"Fuck! Form up! Form a defensive formation now! Don't fall apart!"

Captain Yu's eyes were bloodshot as he roared himself hoarse. Several mentally tougher mercenaries suppressed their fear and quickly gathered together.

Under Captain Yu's command, the group barely managed to organize a counterattack. Their attacks landed on the Sand Sea Giant Python's scales, bursting into scattered sparks.

The giant python was hurt, and its attacks became even more frenzied. The mercenaries relied on their formation to defend in turns, but they were still steadily forced back.

Whoosh!

Just after Captain Yu narrowly dodged the giant python's lunge, a cold glint silently struck from behind and to the side.

Captain Yu had just steadied himself and was about to issue another command when he felt a chill at his throat. He instinctively clutched his neck, but blood was already gushing through his fingers.

His mouth opened as though he wanted to say something, but no sound came out. In the end, he could only collapse helplessly into a pool of blood.

"Captain... Captain Yu!"

The sudden turn of events left all the mercenaries stunned.

How could the Sand Sea Giant Python let such an opportunity pass?

Its enormous tail swept over again with unstoppable force, instantly smashing several distracted mercenaries into pulp.

With Captain Yu gone, the remaining mercenaries became headless flies. Their fighting spirit vanished completely, and after only a few exchanges, they were slaughtered by the giant python.

The elites of the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group were wiped out here.