157: python and human

The sensation of penetrating hard earth gradually faded, replaced by relatively soft soil and plant roots.

The massive body covered in spiral armor continued to descend through the darkness for a distance, until the intense energy fluctuations and chaotic noises that instinctively unsettled it were blocked and weakened to near imperceptibility by the thick soil layer.

It stopped.

In its newly formed consciousness, a signal of 'safety' initially surfaced. But it knew it could not stay long.

The underground was not its home; lack of oxygen and a sense of pressure were slowly accumulating. It adjusted its direction, and its menacing drill-head began to rotate again, though this time with much gentler speed and force, merely to carve an upward and outward passage through the soil layer.

Crack... rustle... soil and rubble were pushed upward. Soon, a faint glimmer of daylight seeped in, and fresh air rushed in. It cautiously extended its drill-head above ground, its dark golden vertical pupils quickly scanning the surroundings.

This was already the edge of the greenbelt on the outskirts of the Rescue Center; only after a distance and a wire fence could one see the chaotic buildings of the center.

Before it were sparse trees, shrubs, and further away, faintly visible city roads and scattered pedestrians. Those distant moving human figures made its nerves tense up slightly once more.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps and suppressed panting came from not far away. It immediately retracted its body to the edge of the hole it had just drilled, hiding itself in the shadow of the shrubs, its cold pupils focusing ahead.

Two people were seen fleeing in panic from the direction of the Rescue Center's side door, stumbling, their faces filled with terror. One of them, an older man with a simple, honest, and dark complexion, was none other than Zhao Dayou! The other, wearing a white coat and looking nervous, was Dr. Zhou. They had clearly taken advantage of the chaos inside the center and escaped through a safe passage with the guidance of staff.

Tear stains still fresh on his face, Zhao Dayou kept muttering, "'Big Yellow'... I don't know how my 'Big Yellow' is doing... Dr. Zhou, what on earth is happening inside? Explosions and monsters..."

Zhou Yu, while cautiously looking back, panted as he tried to calm him, "Mr. Zhao, stay calm, let's ensure our own safety first! The situation inside is extremely complex, not something we can handle. The police and experts have already..."

His words abruptly stopped.

Because both of them almost simultaneously saw, from behind the shrubs to their side, the colossal creature that had just emerged halfway from the ground—covered in thick, gray-black armor with spiral patterns, a menacing spiral drill-head, and those cold, inhuman dark golden vertical pupils.

"Mon... monster!!!" Zhao Dayou was scared out of his wits, his legs giving way, nearly collapsing to the ground. Zhou Yu also gasped in shock, instinctively stepping in front of Zhao Dayou, his face pale, his hands fumbling futilely over his body as if searching for something to defend himself, only to find a stethoscope.

The 'monster' slowly revealed its entire head and part of its torso from the hole and behind the shrubs, its massive body bringing a heavy sense of oppression. It did not attack immediately, merely using those cold vertical pupils to quietly 'gaze' at the two, especially Zhao Dayou.

Zhao Dayou, initially terrified and closing his eyes awaiting death, found that the expected attack did not come. Trembling, he forced himself to open his eyes and look at the monster again. As he looked, the fear on his face gradually gave way to an extreme disbelief and confusion.

"D-Dr. Zhou..." his voice trembled as he pointed to an area near the base of the monster's drill-head, where a patch of skin not yet fully covered by new material retained a bit of distinctive golden hue and unique markings, "L-look there... those markings... that color... doesn't it... doesn't it look a bit familiar?"

As an experienced veterinarian, Zhou Yu's memory for animal morphological details far surpassed that of ordinary people.

Prompted by Zhao Dayou, he suppressed his fear, held his breath, and carefully examined the area Zhao Dayou pointed to, then quickly scanned the monster's overall outline, approximate length proportions, and the basic structure of a python-like creature, though mutated, still faintly recognizable... An absurd yet seemingly the only explanation for the scene before him struck his mind like a thunderbolt.

"No... impossible..." Zhou Yu murmured in disbelief, his eyes nearly popping out, "Theoretically... genetic mutation couldn't happen this quickly... but... those residual markings... and this general outline... heavens... Mr. Zhao, it... it seems... really... somewhat resembles the Golden Python you brought in?!"

"What?!" Zhao Dayou felt as if struck by lightning, sharply looking at the 'monster' again.

This time, he was no longer looking at a terrifying invader but trying to see through that menacing exterior for traces of the memory of 'Big Yellow'—though massive, it was gentle, always slowly leaning over when he fed it.

It seemed... that gaze... though much colder and unfamiliar, held no mad killing intent... it seemed... that quiet posture was more like... observing? Recognizing?

Once this thought took root, it grew wildly like weeds.

Zhao Dayou, from somewhere deep within, found courage—perhaps the inseparable attachment to 'Big Yellow' in his heart overwhelmed his fear of the unknown monster. Trembling, he tentatively, extremely slowly, took a small step forward, his voice so soft as if afraid to disturb something, "B-Big Yellow? Is... is it you? Is it 'Big Yellow'?"

The armored giant python's body seemed to stir slightly. It did not emit a threatening hiss or approach, but its dark golden vertical pupils focused even more intently on Zhao Dayou's face.

In its gaze, there seemed to be a faint trace of confusion, and... some indescribable, faint fluctuation from the depths of memory.

Just then, a low, rumbling sound, like giant gears and winches slowly turning, came from within the giant python's body—"click... creak..."

Its dark red tendons, spirally wound around the main axis, seemed to be wriggling in a slow yet powerful rhythm, readjusting the tightness and angle of the Winding; from under the raised armor in its midsection, faint crisp sounds of bone micro-adjustments could be heard.

It was 'rewinding'.

Slowly storing back the elastic potential energy consumed during drilling, through the gradual twisting of muscles and rewinding of tendons, preparing for the next burst of power for that terrifying 'Spiral Drill Strike'.

This process temporarily prevented it from making any drastic movements, leaving it to quietly remain in place, undergoing this necessary energy cycle.

This, in turn, gave Zhao Dayou and Zhou Yu further opportunity to observe and confirm.

Seeing that the 'monster' had no intention to attack but instead seemed to be 'resting' and undergoing some internal adjustment, their fear slightly subsided, while their confusion and shock reached a peak.

Tears streamed down Zhao Dayou's face again, but this time it was no longer pure fear, but a complex mix of heartache, disbelief, and a faint glimmer of hope.

He gazed at the 'Big Yellow' that was both familiar and utterly alien, opening his mouth but unsure what to say.

By the shrubs, the evolved giant python and its former owner stood in silent confrontation. The clamor from the distant Rescue Center seemed like background noise from another world.

In the deeper shadows of the forest, a pair of cold eyes silently watched this strange reunion, the corner of the mouth slowly curling into a meaningful arc.

"Ah... what a deeply moving reunion."

A cold, slimy voice, punctuated by pained gasps, abruptly sounded from the side.

The two turned their heads in horror, seeing a figure slowly emerge from the deeper shadows of the woods. His right hand was tightly covering his right eye and most of his cheek, with dark red blood still seeping between his fingers, while his intact left eye gleamed with a viper-like light—it was Zhu Zicong, who had left and returned! His walking posture was somewhat awkward, clearly seriously injured, but that aura of sinister madness grew even more intense.

"You... who are you?!" Dr. Zhou instinctively shielded Zhao Dayou more tightly, his voice trembling. Zhao Dayou also paled in fright, instinctively shrinking back, his terrified gaze shifting between Zhu Zicong and the motionless giant serpent.

Zhu Zicong did not answer immediately. He tilted his head, using his intact left eye to examine the frightened ordinary pair before him with interest, then glanced at the giant serpent not far away, which was still emitting low "gurgling" sounds, clearly in some internal adjustment state and temporarily unable to move.

"Who I am isn't important," Zhu Zicong's voice carried a morbid pleasure. "What matters is that you and this... well, let's still call it a 'snake' for now, seem to have an unusual relationship? That's interesting..."

He released his hand covering his right eye, revealing the gruesome, charred, and torn wound. His remaining left eye narrowed as he slowly approached the two. "Perfect timing. I need some 'Materials' and 'cover.' You..."

Just as he was only a few steps away from Zhao Dayou and Dr. Zhou, at the critical moment when the giant serpent could only emit threatening hisses due to its "Winding" key phase and couldn't effectively intercept—

"Get down!!!"

A powerful, urgent roar exploded like thunder from the side and rear!

Dr. Zhou, as a veterinarian who often cooperated with the police in handling wildlife incidents, reacted extremely quickly to such commands! Almost the instant he heard the voice, he fiercely tackled the still-stunned Zhao Dayou to the ground, pressing himself low as well!

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

A series of crisp, rapid gunshots followed the roar almost immediately! The bullets weren't aimed at Zhao Dayou, Dr. Zhou, or the giant serpent, but precisely covered Zhu Zicong's position and his potential evasion paths!

It was GUPA's rapid response team! They had clearly taken control of parts inside the Rescue Center and quickly expanded their search and perimeter lockdown, just in time to witness this scene!

Zhu Zicong had already been alert upon hearing "get down," his body twisting unnaturally to the side like a boneless mollusk! But the bullets came too fast and too densely—he ultimately couldn't avoid them completely!

Thud! Thud!

At least two bullets struck his body! One grazed his left arm, taking a chunk of flesh; the other hit solidly near his right scapula!

However, a horrifying scene unfolded!

The bullet that hit his scapula didn't embed deeply or cause a penetrating wound as expected. Instead, it seemed to strike an extremely resilient, ultra-thick rubber or dense gel!

The bullet's kinetic energy was eerily absorbed, deformed, and then... slowly "spat out" by the writhing muscles and tissues, clinking as it fell to the ground!

The muscles at the wound site rapidly writhed and closed, with minimal bleeding. Only the torn clothing and an abnormal bruise-like bulge beneath the skin showed the impact force.

Zhu Zicong staggered a few steps from the impact, grunting, the ferocity in his left eye intensifying!

He looked down at his shoulder that had "spat out" the bullet, then raised his gaze toward the direction of the gunfire—several GUPA members in dark gray combat uniforms, wielding standard rifles and executing tactical movements with precision, were rapidly advancing while using trees and terrain for cover, their gun barrels locked firmly on him.

"Damn flies... perfect timing!" Zhu Zicong spat a mouthful of bloody saliva. He didn't seem overly fearful of ordinary firearms, but getting entangled clearly wasn't what he wanted.

At that moment, he performed an even more horrifying act!

He suddenly used his left hand, fingers hooked like claws, to grab the torn clothing and skin on his right neck and shoulder, then... viciously ripped it outward!

"Riiip—!!!"

A teeth-grating tearing sound rang out! A large piece of "outer skin," carrying charred scars and even parts of intact skin and muscle tissue, was forcibly torn off as if shedding an ill-fitting coat!

What was exposed wasn't normal flesh and bone, but a dark red, constantly writhing, mucus-covered substance with fine vascular-like textures, as if woven from countless living fibers!

This layer of substance was especially active around the wound on his right shoulder, where the mark from "spitting out" the bullet was quickly smoothing over.

And the torn-off piece of "outer skin"... upon closer look, its skin tone, texture, and even some pre-burn characteristics subtly differed from Zhu Zicong's original facial contours, more resembling the skin of a young man of similar age but definitely not the same person!

As if carefully peeled off and layered over his original body!

This terrifying sight churned the stomachs of Dr. Zhou and Zhao Dayou, who had just lifted their heads enough to see a bit, nearly making them vomit. Even the well-trained GUPA members froze for an instant, clearly shaken by this scene beyond reason.

"Skinning"... or rather, wearing someone else's skin?

Zhu Zicong (perhaps this was no longer his true appearance or name) flexed his newly exposed right shoulder, composed of dark red active flesh and blood, his remaining left eye sweeping over the approaching GUPA members,

then glanced at the frightened pair on the ground and the giant serpent, which was about to complete its "Winding" and whose aura was becoming dangerous again, revealing a twisted smile mixing anger, cruelty, and calculation.

"Tsk... looks like today's entertainment has to end early." His voice grew even hoarser and stranger, as if with a dual timbre. "But... we'll meet again soon. With my 'new pet' in tow."

Before the words faded, his right arm, covered in dark red active flesh and blood, suddenly swelled and stretched like a massive meat whip, viciously striking a tree as thick as a bowl beside him!

Crack! The trunk snapped in response, dust and wood chips scattering!

Using the recoil and dust as cover, his entire figure retreated swiftly like a ghost, far exceeding normal human speed. After a few flickers, he vanished back into the dense depths of the forest, leaving only the shaken pair, the slowly regaining giant serpent, and the rapidly converging GUPA members.

In the air lingered a faint scent of blood and an indescribable, sweetly pungent odor, like a mix of rotting flesh and chemicals.