Ma Xiong grumbled as he climbed, “Damn it, no wonder that thing was so confident waiting below with its mouth open—turns out we were climbing right up its massive snake body.”

The Fatty, already breathless from exertion, wheezed, “Ma Xiong, can’t you just shut up for a minute? Keep talking and that giant snake might just shake you off.”

By now, the three had managed to pull themselves clear of the serpent's belly, grasping at the surrounding reeds, desperately scrambling upward to escape the cursed beast.

The instant the Fatty retracted his foot from the snake’s side, the creature’s flank gave a sudden shudder. He dropped slightly, kicking up a cloud of dust that felt like a minor earthquake. The Fatty’s grip loosened, and he nearly plummeted, but seeing the swirling dust below finally allowed him a shallow breath of relief.

“Jeez,” Ma Xiong exclaimed, “What a massive torso. I honestly thought it was one of the plant’s thick vines. It almost tricked me.”

Lu Zong walked over to where the serpent’s body had been. The ground was utterly barren; even the vine growth within a two-meter radius looked withered. He picked up a scale-like remnant from the dirt, guessing it belonged to the snake. After sniffing it, he stated, “This thing is probably venomous all over. Look how nothing grows where it crushed the ground, and how it’s infected the surrounding foliage.”

The Fatty was still patting his chest, shaken. “That truly scared the hell out of this old Fatty. I’ve never seen a snake this enormous since I popped out of my mother’s womb.”

A moment later, another tremor echoed from below. The three peered down again, noticing the snake was now actively moving toward them—no, not moving, but walking.

For beneath the colossal bulk of its body, they could clearly see six leg-like appendages supporting the trunk as it advanced. They stood frozen, utterly stunned.

Lu Zong gasped in awe, “Is this what the legends call a Dragon? It’s magnificent.”

Ma Xiong couldn't help but marvel as well. “Look at those legs, they’re absolutely perfect. I’ve never seen such beautiful limbs. And look, it even has small antennae on its head. I bet those will grow fully soon, and then it might actually evolve into a true Dragon.”

The Fatty, however, was unperturbed. “I heard Dragons don't eat people. If this thing is indeed a Dragon, maybe we don’t have to worry about becoming breakfast.”

As he spoke, the creature surged forward, stopping barely ten meters away. It let out a low, muffled sound, and the very rock beneath their feet vibrated. In that moment, they keenly felt the insignificance of their own lives.

The massive serpent’s crimson, lantern-like eyes remained fixed on them. Its enormous jaws opened and closed rhythmically as its colossal body writhed and scaled the incline, perhaps drooling over a savory meal or perhaps just admiring their presence. The Fatty mumbled a continuous prayer: “Don’t eat us for breakfast, don’t eat us for breakfast. I hope this snake doesn’t have a breakfast habit.”

Ma Xiong slapped the Fatty’s shoulder hard. “Shut up! That thing is staring right at you. This isn't the time to discuss morning meals. Quiet!”

The Fatty instantly clamped his mouth shut and looked back at the serpent. Sure enough, its huge, lantern eyes were fixed squarely on him. The great mouth expelled a gust of fetid air, a powerful wave of turbulence that nearly swept the Fatty off his perch. Only his substantial weight and the sturdy reed he clutched saved him from falling. He trembled; it seemed the serpent had singled him out for consumption.

Suddenly, the snake reared its head back sharply, its mouth agape—it looked like it was preparing its final assault. A wave of tremors ran through the three men; the moment for battle had arrived.

Lu Zong roared, “Warriors, the time has come! Let the fight begin. Draw your weapons!”

He immediately drew his dagger, scrutinizing the giant serpent, prepared for its imminent charge.

Indeed, the serpent began moving directly toward him, perhaps drawn by the glint of steel in his hand. His blood surged; hormones flooded his system, and the dagger felt slick as he gripped it, ready for one final desperate stand.

When the beast was five meters away, it suddenly bent its six legs and lowered its body. Lu Zong instantly recognized the maneuver: it intended to leap across and pin him down. He scanned his surroundings, spotting a protruding stone below. He calculated he could jump onto it.

Having made his plan, Lu Zong locked eyes with the serpent, waiting for the strike.

As expected, the snake launched itself in a terrifying leap straight at him. The force of the jump was far more immense than Lu Zong had anticipated. Nevertheless, he protected his head with his arms, pointing the dagger outward. Just before the monstrous jaws could enclose him, he leaped downward, slamming his body against the serpent’s flank. The dagger plunged into the creature’s belly. He had intended to slash down, but the snake’s hide proved unbelievably thick; it was useless. The dagger lodged itself firmly in the skin, leaving Lu Zong dangling mid-air by his grip on the hilt.

This final act provoked the serpent. Feeling the pain, it glanced down and saw Lu Zong dangling there. Enraged, it dug its claws into the wall and slammed its massive chest against the cliff face, trying to crush Lu Zong against the rock. Lu Zong instantly understood the intent. The moment the serpent’s belly connected with the stone, he dropped off, landing safely on the anticipated protrusion below.

From above, Ma Xiong and the Fatty, who had watched the horrifying scene unfold with pounding hearts, finally let out long sighs of relief. However, their gasping sounds drew the serpent’s attention. It lifted its lowered head, meeting the gaze of four eyes. Ma Xiong and the Fatty quickly averted their eyes.

This show of submission failed to earn any sympathy; if anything, it seemed to enrage the beast further. It roared again, abandoning Lu Zong, and began crawling toward the Fatty and Ma Xiong.

The Fatty and Ma Xiong huddled together. Beneath them was a dizzying chasm; a misstep meant certain death from the fall. If they didn’t jump... They dared not consider the alternative, simply waiting for the serpent to arrive, wondering how it would attack next—after all, they would deal with it when it came to it.

The great snake finally coiled its thick body to its destination, stopping five meters away, then bent low, clearly intending to repeat the leaping maneuver.

The Fatty and Ma Xiong exchanged a look, then pointed simultaneously at a large stone beneath their feet, nodding in agreement. They resolved that when the serpent lunged, they would emulate Lu Zong and jump onto the stone below, buying themselves a moment’s reprieve.

Suddenly, the serpent sprang forward, shaking the entire mountainside. The two men scrambled off their perch, missing the creature’s jaws by a mere ten centimeters in mid-air.

The serpent abruptly halted its attack, its four claws digging hard into the surrounding reeds, freezing in place. Its head swiveled, changing direction to face the Fatty. Lu Zong watched in horror, realizing the cunning beast had feigned an attack on their original spot only to change trajectory mid-leap, aiming to swallow them both while they were airborne.

The Fatty was slick with cold sweat, acutely aware of the ancient, stinking breath exhaled from the serpent’s maw, thick with the scent of death, nearly causing him to faint.

Lu Zong shouted desperately from below, “Fatty, catch the rope!” He hurled a length of rope toward the Fatty. The Fatty reacted with lightning speed, grabbing hold. Lu Zong pulled with every ounce of strength he possessed, successfully deflecting the Fatty’s downward trajectory toward his own position. However, a corner of the Fatty’s coat caught on the serpent’s teeth and was ripped away in a large shred.

The Fatty stared at the scrap of cloth dangling from the serpent’s fang, his heart threatening to burst through his ribs. If Lu Zong hadn’t pulled the rope, he would already be coiled inside the snake for lunch.

Still airborne, not having landed safely yet, he glanced around for a secure landing spot. Aside from Lu Zong’s stone, there was nowhere else. He waved frantically at Lu Zong, signaling him to make room for his landing.

To his surprise, Lu Zong waved back forcefully, shouting, “Get away from here! Don’t land here, find somewhere else to stabilize yourself first! Don’t worry, I’m holding the rope; as long as you don’t let go, you’ll be fine.”

The Fatty knew Lu Zong was worried that his bulk might cause the precarious stone to collapse. But the Fatty felt it was ridiculous; if the stone had held firm for a thousand years, it could certainly handle him. Stubbornly and boldly, he launched himself toward Lu Zong’s stone.

With a sharp crack, the stone, unable to withstand the massive impact of the Fatty’s weight, shattered. Lu Zong and the Fatty began a straight, rapid descent, still clutching the single rope between them.

The wind roared past their ears. They realized they were falling fast; even if they hit rock, the internal shock alone could cause organ rupture and breathing failure, compounded by the already thin air—the danger was intensifying.

Just as panic set in, they felt the rope yank taut, instantly arresting their fall. They looked up in disbelief and saw the rope snagged tightly over a jutting piece of rock above.

This formed a crude lever system: the stone served as the fulcrum. One end held the Fatty, the other Lu Zong. Due to the difference in their weights, the Fatty pulled the rope downward, causing Lu Zong to slowly ascend. Lu Zong roared in outrage, “Damn it, stop pulling! Don’t haul me up! That snake is waiting for me up there!”

The Fatty quickly scrambled toward the edge, letting go of the rope to grab the reeds, completely ignoring Lu Zong’s plight.

With only one end of the rope now held, the lever balance was broken, and Lu Zong began sliding down again. With no ledges or stones in his path, he couldn't find a grip and simply plummeted. The thought of the bottomless abyss below made sweat bead on his forehead.

Just as his mind swam with panic, he felt his descent halt. He looked up and saw Ma Xiong, who had somehow managed to leap onto the rock where the rope was snagged. Ma Xiong braced himself, pulling the rapidly descending rope with grim determination, forcing out through clenched teeth, “Lu Zong, hurry up and find somewhere to land! You really need to lose some weight!”