Young Master Liu tumbled on the ground with Wang Feifei. When he finally let go of her and looked back, he saw that the snake, failing to strike Wang Feifei, had changed its target and was lunging directly at Fan Debiao.

Though Fan Debiao was portly, his reflexes were surprisingly swift. He side-stepped the strike and scrambled back hastily, putting a good two meters between himself and the serpent.

The snake missed again, falling straight onto the sand, rolling twice before coiling its body tight and springing up from the ground, flying straight towards Fan Debiao.

Who would have thought this snake’s body could shift from pliable to rock-hard? Combined with its potent venom, it was easily comparable to the King Cobra of the desert.

Seeing the snake launch its second attack, Fan Debiao ground his teeth in sheer fury. If not for the fact that this creature demanded cunning rather than brute force, his temperament would have seen him flaying it alive for supper. Fan Debiao spun again, narrowly dodging the assault.

However, in shifting his center of gravity, Fan Debiao lost his footing and stumbled backward. The snake, thwarted three times, was now enraged. Its eyes burned crimson as it let out a series of low, guttural mmuu-mmuu sounds, its body tightening before shooting directly toward Fan Debiao.

Off-balance, Fan Debiao couldn't evade; his only recourse was to lean back and use the snake's momentum against him. The enraged snake seemed faster now, and it appeared as if it would snap at Fan Debiao’s throat when suddenly, his foot slipped, and he went down.

The snake couldn't decelerate. With a loud THWACK, it slammed hard against a rough stone pillar. It immediately dropped to the ground, writhing violently. It seemed the impact had been severe. This beast, after all, was just an animal, relying only on sheer reckless charge, unlike a human mind capable of calculating a turn.

Young Master Liu genuinely held his breath for Fan Debiao. Seeing he was unharmed, Liu let out a sigh of relief. Fan Debiao, badly shaken, was covered in a cold sweat on his brow. He managed to roll up, wipe the sweat away, and smirked at the flailing snake. Having no proper weapon on hand, he grabbed a Black Donkey Hoof—likely one prepared five years ago, now incredibly hard—and brought it down squarely on the snake’s head.

The blow connected perfectly. Brain matter splattered onto the sand, immediately emitting white smoke, proof that its toxicity dwarfed that of any common cobra.

The snake lay still on the ground. Fan Debiao nudged its body a couple of times with his foot to confirm it was finished. He sighed in relief and then began cursing the creature’s lineage.

At this point, everyone’s tension eased, and they gathered around the dead serpent. Its movements had been so quick earlier that they hadn't gotten a clear look; only now, with it dead, did Young Master Liu get a complete view.

The snake was over a meter long, not particularly large, with scales that gleamed black. Liu glanced at the smashed head where the Black Donkey Hoof had struck and realized this snake was unlike others: it possessed only a single, large eye, the size of a prayer bead. Despite the head being utterly destroyed, Liu analyzed that this eye must have been situated just above the tongue.

Young Master Liu rarely visited zoos and couldn't even name all the world's major snake species, let alone identify such a bizarre specimen.

“Nine-Eater Yin!” Lin Miaoke suddenly exclaimed. “This snake is called the Nine-Eater Yin. I saw it mentioned in the Classic of Mountains and Seas.”

Those who studied history and archaeology had all dabbled in the Shan Hai Jing to some extent. Lin Miaoke's reminder brought a flicker of memory to Young Master Liu; he seemed to recall a mention of it there as well.

“That’s not the Nine-Eater Yin,” Wang Zhicai corrected, adjusting his glasses. “The one mentioned in the Classic of Mountains and Seas was white, but this snake is black. They don’t match.”

“Could it be that what the ancients saw as the Nine-Eater Yin appeared white due to some form of light refraction, which is why the Classic recorded it as white?” Young Master Liu pondered aloud.

Wang Zhicai nodded after hearing Liu’s analysis. “That’s a plausible explanation. The ancients lacked scientific knowledge; they recorded whatever they saw.”

“Why are we studying a dead snake? Big Guy’s body is still exposed out there. Should we handle it?” Fan Debiao interjected, growing impatient with the prolonged discussion about the Nine-Eater Yin.

Hearing him, everyone’s gaze shifted to the dark corpse of Wu Baigan. The atmosphere immediately became heavy and silent.

In the blink of an eye, three members of the entire team were dead. What had started as a simple tomb raiding expedition had turned into an unexpected series of calamities, leaving everyone deeply affected.

“Of course, we can’t just leave him exposed here,” Wang Feifei stated.

They exchanged glances, then dug a shallow pit right there in the sand and buried Wu Baigan. Wang Feifei and Jackson took out their Bibles, recited passages, made the sign of the cross, and continued reading, performing a 'rite of passage' for Wu Baigan.

Fan Debiao muttered to Young Master Liu, “Aren't those burial rites popular with Americans? Why are the French getting involved?”

Young Master Liu replied, “Look at your education; people who believe in Jesus do all these things.”

“But Wu Baigan was Chinese! Can Jesus’s rites really bring him peace?” Fan Debiao countered.

Sometimes, the questions Fan Debiao asked left Young Master Liu speechless, so he just told him to be serious.

Soon, Wang Feifei and Jackson finished their ritual. Despite the numerous complications, the ancient city still had to be explored. Wang Feifei urged everyone to find a way out.

Fan Debiao immediately sprinted up the nearest staircase but returned moments later, walking back from the wall with a defeated expression, reporting that the passage was blocked by sand.

Young Master Liu surveyed the surroundings. They were enclosed by solid stone walls; the only apparent exit led back to where they had fallen in.

Liu approached the opening and examined it closely. It was pitch black inside. He had Jackson fire a flare into the darkness, but they only heard a click—it failed to ignite. That exit, too, seemed impossible.

All eyes then turned to the stone door at the end of the walkway. Perhaps an exit lay beyond, though the dangers lurking inside were unknown. Wang Feifei gestured for them to proceed. They couldn't just wait here to die; they had to brace themselves and move forward.

Before Young Master Liu could turn, he heard a muffled noise emanating from behind the stone door, followed by a rapid series of gunshots.

At the sound of the gunfire, everyone jumped. They scrambled with quickened steps, pressing themselves against the walls beside the stone door, various degrees of tension etched onto their faces. Young Master Liu felt the cold sweat covering his forehead.

The shooting lasted for over a minute before stopping. Wang Feifei asked if anyone had a clear idea of the situation, but everyone shook their heads. Even with the firing ceased, none dared to rush in.

Fan Debiao, braver than the rest, crept cautiously toward the stone door and poked his head inside. Suddenly, another burst of gunfire erupted. Fan Debiao recoiled in shock, stumbling backward until Young Master Liu caught him.

Liu checked Fan Debiao; there were no signs of being hit. Evidently, those shots hadn't been aimed at him. Liu asked, “What did you see just now?”

Fan Debiao, his face slick with sweat, shook his head and wiped it before telling Liu, “Damn it, I saw nothing! It was pitch black; I couldn't even see the muzzle flash.” As soon as he finished speaking, another volley of shots rang out from within.