Demoness

[Snake Maiden]

[Resentment Level: ★★]

The moment the system gave Chen Feng She Qingqing's information, he knew the danger had passed.

Even so, he did not dare open his eyes. Feeling his way through the dark, he stumbled out of the bathroom from memory.

In mythology, the hero Perseus had used Medusa's severed head to kill the sea monster Cetus. Even a dead Snake Demon was not to be taken lightly.

The result was that Chen Feng tripped over She Qingqing's body and fell flat on his face.

"Ow."

Chen Feng grimaced. He had just left the bathroom when he heard the rustle of moving insects.

He looked up and saw Zhu Xianxian standing at the stairwell.

They stared at each other and asked at the same time, "You're still alive?"

Zhu Xianxian paused, then laughed. "You didn't think one tear gas grenade would finish me off, did you?"

Chen Feng had a feeling she was bluffing. Tear gas grenades were not lethal weapons like fragmentation grenades, but an explosion at close range could still cause severe reactions, even death. That went double for tiny spiders.

That grenade had destroyed at least half of Zhu Xianxian's body.

So he said, "There's no way you came out of it unscathed."

"Hahaha."

As if she had heard a joke, Zhu Xianxian lifted the human skin over her abdomen, revealing a belly packed with spider eggs. The eggs kept splitting open, hatching countless little spiders.

Chen Feng stared in shock. "What?"

Pointing to the scraps of police uniform inside her belly, Zhu Xianxian laughed. "As long as there's flesh and blood, I can make as many children as I want. What I don't understand is how that snake girl missed. She actually let you live."

Before Chen Feng could answer, she went on, "It's so cold. Ah, the Water Ghost is here. That explains it."

Countless little spiders swarmed forward and quickly formed the outline of a person.

The invisible Water Ghost had tried to sneak up on Zhu Xianxian, but the little spiders around her had spotted it.

With its cover blown, the Water Ghost lunged straight at Zhu Xianxian.

"Too slow. Did the snake girl petrify you?"

Just as the Water Ghost was about to seize her, Zhu Xianxian scattered into a swarm of spiders and shot out silk to bind it.

The strands could pin an adult in place, but they were not quite enough to hold the Water Ghost.

It tore through the web with a single burst of strength. By then, though, Zhu Xianxian had become countless little spiders crawling all over its body. No matter how strong it was, it could do nothing.

Chen Feng grew more anxious by the second. The Water Ghost is strong, but it has no area attacks. No matter how many little spiders it kills, more will hatch. If this drags on, it's bound to lose.

His thoughts raced. If the Water Ghost dies, I'm done for too. I need a plan, fast.

If only I had insecticide.

Or fire. Even some smoke might work... Wait, smoke?

That's it!

Tear gas!

Chen Feng turned and ran to the petrified figure. Only its flesh had turned to stone; its clothes and equipment were intact. But after searching it thoroughly, he found just one tear gas grenade.

That's not enough!

Chen Feng panicked. One grenade might free the Water Ghost, but it would not be nearly enough to defeat Zhu Xianxian.

Meanwhile, the Water Ghost was being driven back and could barely fight anymore.

Zhu Xianxian's voice came from somewhere in the swarm. "Done already? Looks like the snake girl's petrification did have some effect."

Petrification?

Chen Feng suddenly remembered that She Qingqing's corpse was still lying in the bathroom.

I'll have to take the gamble!

Gritting his teeth, Chen Feng ran for the bathroom, keeping his eyes on the ceiling the whole way. Once inside, he crouched and felt around.

Something cold, long, and scaly... That was the snake's body.

Feeling his way upward, he found two large, soft mounds... Sorry! Sorry!

After that silent apology, Chen Feng felt hair and a round head on the floor. He turned the head to face forward by touch, then rushed out of the bathroom. The Water Ghost was pinned beneath the spider swarm, unable to move.

"Once I eat you, I'll become even stronger."

Zhu Xianxian was still gloating.

Chen Feng shouted, "Everybody, eyes on me! Look at me! Look at me!"

The sudden yell drew the spiders' attention. Spiders had one unfortunate trait: eight eyes. Every one of them got a clear look at what Chen Feng held in his hands.

Then came a shriek. "No!"

The spider swarm rapidly turned white.

There was a way to deal with fire ant infestations: pour molten aluminum at a thousand degrees into the nest, let it cool, then dig it out and wash it with a high-pressure water jet. What remained was a silvery-white ornament.

The spider swarm had become just such an ornament, only carved from stone.

Chen Feng received Zhu Xianxian's information too:

[Human-Skin Spider]

[Resentment Level: ★★]

After dealing with the two guards, Chen Feng and the Water Ghost rested for a while.

Things had gone downhill fast.

Chen Feng was close to losing it. Moments ago, he had led a sizeable force in, confident he could wipe out the Landlady in one sweep. Now, before he had even seen her, all that remained was him and a half-crippled Water Ghost.

He could check the Water Ghost's condition through the system at any time.

"Poisoned, burned, petrified."

"Those spiders were venomous too?"

"When did the Water Ghost get burned...? Oh. I did that. Sorry."

Muttering to himself, Chen Feng searched the fallen internet café attendant, found another key, and handed it to the Water Ghost. Then he headed up to the third floor.

As he climbed past the stairs, a familiar stench of rot hit him.

That's the smell!

The empty, unfinished room had become the familiar Skin Forest. Chen Feng knew his guess had been right: the key was indeed what opened the way to the real third floor!

"My darling husband, you're home?"

The Landlady's sultry voice rang out.

Chen Feng scoffed. "Come out and take a good look at who your husband is."

"Who are you?"

The voice sounded familiar to the Landlady. She stepped out and met She Qingqing's eyes head-on.

Chen Feng had nothing to discuss with a wicked woman like the Landlady. He had carried She Qingqing's head in his hands on the way up, intending to catch her off guard the moment they met.

"Ah!"

Got her!

At the sound of the Landlady's scream, Chen Feng quickly lowered the head. But although a layer of stone covered her face, her body had not turned into a statue.

Like the Water Ghost, she had some resistance to petrification.

I knew it wouldn't be that easy.

Chen Feng shouted, "Now!"

A pair of hands shot toward her throat. It was the Water Ghost, which had come upstairs with Chen Feng and crept close under cover of invisibility.

"Handsome, if you're going to ambush someone, you really shouldn't announce it."

The Landlady had heard him and braced herself, but petrification had left her movements stiff. She could not dodge the Water Ghost's attack. Crack! Her head snapped off and rolled across the floor.

Was it over?

Chen Feng frowned. His instincts told him it could not be that simple.

Just then, the head the Water Ghost had twisted off opened its eyes. An eerie, seductive smile curled across its lips. "Husband, what's the rush?"