Could a deserter be nearby? I felt a flicker of doubt: could that white python have given the little Japanese a clue just now?

On second thought, the white python truly was bizarre. Snakes invariably swallow their prey whole, skin and bones, to digest it slowly inside. Yet, this white python acted like a spider, using its tongue to siphon out the juices... Thinking of this, a chill ran down my spine. Had that Japanese man been injected with venom beforehand, and the python was merely waiting until his insides had liquefied before leisurely feasting? If that were the case, wouldn't this white python have the same predatory nature as a spider?

Before I could ponder further, the little Japanese began barking orders to continue ascending, completely ignoring their compatriot whose body had been reduced to an empty husk. There wasn't even a moment of mourning before they hurried away.

This time, the little Japanese didn't send us Chinese forward. Yamamoto took the lead alone, followed by his four subordinates, and then me, alongside Yangjin, Section Chief Wang, and Officer Liu. Each of the Japanese men carried enormous, bulging rucksacks on their backs. Although they seemed to struggle slightly with their pace, my instinct told me they had certainly undergone rigorous military training. A normal person couldn't even breathe properly climbing a mountain at such an altitude without any load, let alone carrying what looked like sixty or seventy pounds of gear.

The higher we climbed, the thinner the air became. I constantly gasped, lacking even the basic energy to speak.

Finally, Zhuoma Yangjin, who had been walking beside me, couldn't hold on any longer. She stopped, leaning against a rock by the path, wheezing out, "Luo... Engineer Luo... you should rest a moment too..."

I glanced back at Wang and Liu; strangely, they showed no sign of fatigue. I couldn't manage them all, so I simply told them to take a break and followed suit, leaning against the rock near Zhuoma Yangjin.

My chest ached as if the air had been sucked out. I panted in great gulps. After a while, I felt slightly better. "Yangjin... I... the little Japanese... they aren't planning to go much higher, are they... I can barely manage," I said.

"I don't know... But... Engineer Luo..." Zhuoma Yangjin suddenly looked into my eyes with intense sincerity, also catching her breath, "Go tell Yamamoto something... something very important..."

I blinked, "What is it?" As I spoke, I couldn't help but notice how unusually beautiful her eyes were—deep and dark, carrying a mix of innocent coldness and worldly allure.

Lost in thought, Zhuoma Yangjin suddenly leaned close to my ear and whispered, "Go tell Yamamoto about the white python..." Her breath was warm, making my ear tingle. "The white python?" I strained to suppress any wandering thoughts and asked, "I don't know anything about it, why tell me to say anything?"

Yangjin's action left me quite puzzled. She wanted me to inform Yamamoto that the white python was an albino mutation, possessing spider-like habits, specializing in preying on large animals like yaks, and would not dare attack humans unless absolutely forced to. I had initially suspected the "spider-like habit," but I hadn't been certain. Hearing Yangjin confirm it still startled me.

But I don't speak Japanese, so how could I communicate with Yamamoto? Wasn't she the translator? Why send me to deliver a message to that detestable little Japanese man?

"Wouldn't it be better if you told him yourself?" I turned my head to look at Zhuoma Yangjin.

Perhaps because she had been too close earlier, Zhuoma Yangjin quickly shifted back slightly when I turned. "Engineer Luo," she said very earnestly, "Just help me out, okay? Tell the Japanese man that you discovered the secret of the white python. They won't understand, so they’ll naturally come to me for translation." I had no reason to refuse such a woman’s plea. Despite my suspicion and dissatisfaction, I did as she asked.

Sure enough, when I relayed what Zhuoma Yangjin had instructed to Yamamoto, Yamamoto could only look confused and called for Zhuoma Yangjin to translate it again for him. And Zhuoma Yangjin pretended not to understand anything either, asking me phrase by phrase before carefully translating it for Yamamoto. She truly was a strange woman; I couldn't fathom what game she was playing.

After the translation, Yamamoto suddenly grabbed my shoulder with both hands, unable to contain his excitement, and exclaimed in broken Chinese, "Luo-kun... Luo... Is everything you just said true?"

I sidestepped, avoiding his grip. "Yes."

Yamamoto impatiently asked again if I knew where the white python frequented.

I glanced at Zhuoma Yangjin; she was looking at me with a completely unknowing expression, offering no hint. I had no choice but to stiffly say I didn't know.

Yamamoto didn't press further, instead running off excitedly to chatter with the other little Japanese men. I pulled Zhuoma Yangjin aside and asked her what she was scheming.

Zhuoma Yangjin looked at me with an innocent and guileless gaze. "Engineer Luo... do you think Japanese men would easily believe a woman?" This was clearly a dodge. Setting aside whether the little Japanese believed it or not, I pressed her on how she knew about the white python. She continued to feign ignorance and innocence, clearly unwilling to say more. After a few more questions, I gave up. After all, the truth would come out when the time was right, and then we would see if Zhuoma Yangjin could still pretend.

After a brief rest, we continued our climb. The ascent was even harder this time, and everyone's pace slowed considerably. Even one of the little Japanese, Kameda Taro, lagged behind us. But Yamamoto didn't seem to care much about him, focusing only on moving forward himself. If Yamamoto didn't care, I certainly wasn't going to bother worrying about it.

After walking like this for about ten minutes, a terrified scream suddenly echoed from behind. I looked back and was instantly struck by paralyzing fear: a white python was raising its head, hissing as it flicked its long tongue, slowly undulating its body as if positioning itself for an imminent strike against the isolated Kameda, who was shaking uncontrollably and couldn't stand steady.

The earlier sight of the python draining the corpse had already frayed our nerves. I started trembling and slowly began backing away, trying desperately not to make the slightest noise, preparing to move outside the python's attack range. As I retreated, I cautiously and fearfully watched the white python's movements, terrified that a single misstep would make me its next target. The stranded Kameda looked pleadingly toward us, unable to move a single step, but none of us dared to go to his rescue. Apart from the hissing sound of the white python's tongue, I could clearly hear my own heart pounding a frantic rhythm: thump-thump-thump-thump.

Suddenly, a flash of white light cut through the air, and Kameda shrieked, collapsing onto the ground like a heap of mud. My legs weakened, and I nearly crumbled too: the white python had bitten Kameda!

"Baka!" Yamamoto roared in anger, followed by a sharp crack as someone fired a gun, striking the white python. In pain, the python dared not stay and quickly turned to flee. I stood there dumbfounded, too slow to react, as Yamamoto and his men abandoned the injured Kameda and chased after it.

Seeing the python run off, my legs gave out and I slumped to the ground. Kameda’s frantic screams drilled into my ears, but I was too weak to get up and check his injuries.

After a long while, no one had tended to Kameda. He screamed for a while, his cries gradually diminishing into despairing moans. A pang of compassion struck me; I knew at least the basic first-aid for snakebites. However, before I could move, I saw Zhuoma Yangjin acting first. Her walk was still unsteady, showing she had also been severely frightened. She staggered over to the little Japanese man and said something in Japanese; Kameda immediately began shivering and pulled up his sleeve to offer his arm. He must have been bitten, but I was too far away to see clearly.

Just as I was considering whether to go closer and see what was happening, Zhuoma Yangjin called out to me, her voice trembling with terror: "Engineer Luo... Luo..." I hurried over and looked at Kameda's arm: his entire forearm was an unnaturally vibrant shade of pink, with a slight redness spreading onto his upper arm...

"What is this?" I heard my own voice shaking as I reached out to pinch Kameda’s forearm. Smack! Zhuoma Yangjin slapped my hand hard. "Are you tired of living!" she pulled me aside and said, "Remember the corpse from earlier? His arm looks exactly like that now!"