Giant Python
The tremor in the mud just now was incredibly real, very shallow and brief, easily overlooked by the usual sounds of the swamp. But he saw it clearly—the surface mud briefly bulged and then flattened, the traces of a giant body moving slightly in the deep silt.
Unseen and intangible, yet it truly holds something alive within it.
Every muscle in his body gradually tensed up, his shoulders, back, waist, abdomen, and legs all gathered strength, and he instantly entered a state of full alert tension, his gaze fixed on the swampy mud in front of him, not daring to relax for even a moment.
He knew perfectly well that the tremors that had just occurred had spread over a considerable area, and that what was lurking beneath was definitely not a small creature like a snake or rat. This was no place to linger. Lu Heng retreated slowly, his gaze quickly scanning the surroundings for a safe place to land.
Melted snow soaked the entire swamp, and as far as the eye could see, it was all mud that you could sink into with every step. The mud, mixed with bits of ice that hadn't completely melted, clung to the skin, feeling icy cold. After a few steps, your trouser legs were covered in a thick layer of mud. Fortunately, there were a few clumps of frozen soil scattered along the edge of the swamp. The soil was hard and compacted, so you wouldn't sink when you stepped on it. It was the only safe place at the moment.
Lu Heng rushed over quickly, stood firmly on the frozen ground, and looked back at the muddy area that had just stirred.
The calm was just a fleeting illusion. Moments later, the large patch of mud beneath their feet began to swell and undulate, causing irregular ripples to spread across the murky, stagnant water. Tiny bubbles rose continuously from the mud's bottom, making soft popping sounds as they broke the surface. The commotion grew increasingly noticeable, and the entire mud puddle swayed gently with the movement of the heavy object beneath.
Before Lu Heng could think further, the thick black mud suddenly surged to both sides.
A body, thicker than anyone could imagine, slowly emerged from the depths of the mud. Thick scales covered in blackened mud gleamed with a cold, matte sheen in the dim forest light. Its torso coiled among the swamps, and even the half-exposed part of its body exuded a heavy sense of oppression.
Upon seeing this size, Lu Heng's first instinct was to run. The difference in size between the two was too great; a head-on confrontation offered no chance of victory.
He didn't linger, turning and running along the edge of the frozen ground towards the dry woodland. As he ran, he immediately raised his left hand, Wristband lit up with a pale blue light, the beam precisely locking onto the giant beast crawling behind him. A few breaths later, a line of text appeared on the Wristband screen.
[Species: Swamp Giant Python]
Grade: Bronze Tier
Description: A giant beast at the top of the food chain in the Frost Forest Swamp, it prefers cold and damp environments. In winter, it hibernates by burying itself deep in the mud, gliding quickly by its body close to the mud surface and using ground vibrations to lock onto its prey. After waking from hibernation, it urgently needs a large amount of flesh and blood to replenish its energy.
Upon reading the description, Lu Heng felt a wave of helplessness. Today was just too unlucky. This giant python should have been sleeping deep in the mud, but he had just disturbed the mud by digging and shaking it, thus waking up the hibernating beast.
The long hibernation had depleted the energy stored up in its body, and the vibrant life force emanating from its body was, in the eyes of the giant python, the perfect food to replenish its losses.
The sound of mud scraping behind them grew closer. The Swamp Giant Python twisted its massive body and slid along the mud without any hindrance, moving at an astonishing speed. Lu Heng's two legs were on the melting snow forest, which was full of slippery ice and mud pits. He had to consciously keep his balance with each step, which greatly slowed down his progress. The distance between them was constantly shrinking.
Simply running away will eventually lead to being caught. Lu Heng suddenly turned to the side to steady himself, gripping the Bronze Hunting Blade tightly in one hand, and raising his wrist with the other to touch the Storage Space of his Wristband. A flash of cold light, and the Giant-Feather Crossbow fell into his palm.
He stepped back two paces to increase the firing distance, aimed at the gaps in the python's scales, and pulled the trigger. The arrow flew through the air, indeed piercing the outer scales, but the damage it caused was far less than expected. The Giant-Feather Crossbow itself was of Bronze grade, powerful enough, but the arrows it was paired with were of ordinary quality. In addition, the distance between them meant that most of the impact force was lost, and the arrowheads only pierced the flesh shallowly, failing to cause serious injury and completely unable to stop the python's attack.
The giant python paused for only a moment before accelerating again. In just a few seconds, its enormous body had closed to within several meters of him. Lu Heng had no time to adjust his mindset, so he quickly loaded his gun and fired two arrows in quick succession.
Being too close, and with the python constantly twisting its massive body to dodge, the first arrow grazed its scales and missed, embedding itself deeply in the nearby mud, splashing up a cloud of black muddy water. The second arrow pierced the previous wound precisely, with most of the shaft sinking into the python's soft flesh.
The sharp pain completely dispelled the lingering drowsiness of hibernation, and a deep, muffled thud rolled from the depths of the python's throat, spreading an aura of rage. The python increased its gliding speed again, its vertical pupils locking onto Lu Heng, its aggression surging several times over.
Lu Heng understood that the long-range restraint was no longer effective. He raised his hand and put the Giant-Feather Crossbow back into his Wristband Space, gripping the Bronze Hunting Blade tightly in one hand. He walked with extreme caution, his eyes constantly scanning the muddy ground beneath his feet, a deep sense of apprehension in his heart. This swamp was full of hidden pits; once he slipped and fell, he would be trapped in the soft mud, with no chance of resistance, and would be completely at the mercy of the giant python.
He prepared to block and dodge, anticipating a back-and-forth struggle, but he didn't expect the giant python to make no attempt to probe him. Instead, it taut its entire body and charged straight at him. The mountain-like, mud-covered body slammed into his chest, and the enormous impact knocked Lu Heng to the ground.
Fortunately, the mud where he fell wasn't deep, and the soft swamp mud absorbed most of the impact. There were no hard rocks to cause secondary injuries, only a series of tearing pains in his chest. Lu Heng struggled to his feet, his chest tight with bloating. He suppressed a cough that tickled his throat and gripped his Hunting Blade tightly again.
A thought flashed through my mind: the force of that impact was comparable to a car crashing head-on; flesh and blood simply couldn't withstand a second one.
During the brief respite, the Swamp Giant Python did not immediately launch a fatal attack. Instead, it twisted its body slightly back and forth, its long tail occasionally sweeping tentatively from the left and right sides, its movements unpredictable. Lu Heng could clearly sense that this giant beast was not fighting with all its might. Instead, it seemed to have plenty of patience, toying with him little by little.
It seemed to sense the threat posed by the Bronze Hunting Blade, instinctively avoiding direct contact with the blade with each pounce and charge, showing apprehension towards the weapon. However, this apprehension was merely a desire to avoid serious injury from the sharp blade; there was no fear in its heart. Its offensive rhythm remained fierce and domineering, without the slightest hesitation.
Lu Heng's feet were firmly planted on the muddy ground, his back ramrod straight, his eyes fixed on the massive Swamp Giant Python before him, ready to launch another attack at any moment.