In an instant, Shen Yuanzhou coiled tightly around the monster.
The monster kept thrashing its body, trying to throw Shen Yuanzhou off—but once a python has coiled around its prey, how could it ever let the prey escape?
Seeing it couldn’t shake Shen Yuanzhou off, the monster simply charged straight into a tree beside them. Shen Yuanzhou thought this was bad and aimed his sharp fangs at the monster’s vulnerable eye.
The venom poured in continuously, but the monster only made sounds of pain—there wasn’t the slightest sign of poisoning.
Shen Yuanzhou was secretly alarmed. Just then, a lion came charging over. Shen Yuanzhou exchanged a glance with Xie Ji, who had rushed over, then immediately got off the monster and turned to leap into the bushes.
After seeing Shen Yuanzhou leave, Xie Ji put some distance between himself and the monster, then flashed and left this place.
The monster roared, wanting to chase them—but as if thinking of something, its steps paused, and then it slowly retreated back into the depths of the path.
Seeing them return, Yan Yu’an let out a slight breath of relief.
“Done.” Xie Ji proudly tilted his head toward Yan Yu’an, wanting him to praise him.
Yan Yu’an curved his lips and patted Xie Ji’s head. “Great.” As he spoke, he shifted his gaze onto Shen Yuanzhou, who was standing beside him. “You too.”
Shen Yuanzhou’s lips curved slightly.
“Are you hurt?” Yan Yu’an frowned. He’d just seen a large dark purple bruise on Shen Yuanzhou’s back.
Shen Yuanzhou shook his head, his gaze gentle. “A small wound. It’s nothing.”
Xie Ji glanced over and couldn’t help pursing his lips. He muttered: “Back when we fought each other casually, it was worse than this.”
Yan Yu’an glared at him, and only then did Xie Ji reluctantly shut his mouth.
“A small wound.” Ning Bingque walked over and casually slapped the crushed herbs onto Shen Yuanzhou with a smack. “It’ll be fine tomorrow.”
Only after seeing Shen Yuanzhou give him a reassuring look did Yan Yu’an relax a little.
“He’s eating now.” Ning Bingque suddenly said.
Yan Yu’an’s breath caught at once. He looked nervously at Ning Bingque, and the other two also watched Ning Bingque carefully.
After about ten minutes, Ning Bingque finally said: “Right now, he seems to be getting ready to rest?” He frowned. “No—he seems to be looking for something.”
“How do you know he’s looking for something?” Xie Ji couldn’t help asking.
Ning Bingque glanced at him, pointed at his ear, and said a little proudly: “I heard it.”
Xie Ji: “…” Was he saying something obvious?
Yan Yu’an said quietly: “For example, the sound of eating would have the faint sound of meat being torn apart, and the sounds made by chewing while eating.” He paused and glanced at Shen Yuanzhou, who had lowered his eyes—seeing his lips had gone a little white—”The sound of looking for something, on the other hand, is a ceaseless rustling, with traces of rummaging.”
He stepped forward and took Shen Yuanzhou’s hand. “Does it hurt a lot?”
Shen Yuanzhou shook his head. He frowned and said: “That monster isn’t afraid of my poison. I’m a little worried…”
At these words, even Xie Ji, who was always at odds with him, was shocked. “That monster isn’t even afraid of your poison?”
Yan Yu’an frowned. If the monster wasn’t afraid of Shen Yuanzhou’s poison, would it be affected by the poison of a tiny berry? Even though that berry only caused diarrhea.
Clearly, the three of them had thought of this possibility too.
“Do you guys remember the monster you ran into back then?” Yan Yu’an suddenly asked. “Do you remember how it died?”
“I remember—at the time, Xie Ji bit into its belly.” Ning Bingque said. “But that won’t work now. This monster is covered in spikes all over. If he bites down, Xie Ji won’t even be able to keep his mouth.”
“Heh…” Shen Yuanzhou couldn’t help laughing at some thought.
Xie Ji glared at him angrily. “What are you laughing at?”
Shen Yuanzhou didn’t answer him.
Yan Yu’an’s brows furrowed even deeper. Though the monster they’d met this time didn’t have spikes on its belly either, its other parts were covered in spikes—there was no way to bite it.
For a moment, the four of them actually fell silent.
After a long while, Yan Yu’an’s brows suddenly smoothed out.
“What about fire?” He paused and swept his gaze over everyone staring at him. “We can try whether that monster’s afraid of fire.”
“Besides, we can’t be sure the monster won’t be poisoned after eating the berries, right?” As he spoke, he was the first to pull stones and dry branches out of the bear hide. “We have to try first, at least.”
Xie Ji hadn’t expected there to be these things hidden in the bear hide he’d carried all this way.
No wonder he’d kept feeling this bear hide was heavier than usual.
He thought this.
After the fire was started, Yan Yu’an handed them the wooden sticks lit with fire.
“Let’s go. We’ll all go take a look together.”
“You can’t go.” Shen Yuanzhou grabbed him. “It’s too dangerous.”
“Right, let me guard you this time.” Xie Ji eagerly leaned close to Yan Yu’an’s side, and successfully earned a glare from Shen Yuanzhou.
Yan Yu’an shook his head. There was still a smile on his face, but his tone brooked no refusal. “If I stay here, then one of you will have to stay behind to protect me.” His voice was clear, and his eyes were bright too. “So we might as well all go together—one more person, one more bit of strength.”
The old Yan Yu’an had clung to life and feared death, but now he didn’t know where he’d found the courage to say such things.
Perhaps he didn’t want any one of them to get hurt.
“Fine.” Shen Yuanzhou gave Yan Yu’an a deep look, a little helpless in his tone—but for some reason he felt his blood boiling. “I’ll protect you well.”
“Stupid snake! As if I can’t protect An’an well!” Xie Ji roared angrily at Shen Yuanzhou.
Ning Bingque gave a cold laugh. He stood beside Yan Yu’an without a word, but that expression clearly said he could protect Yan Yu’an too.
“Thank you…” Yan Yu’an was a little moved. Though two of the three wanted to sleep with him, it couldn’t be denied that the three of them were his best friends.
Whether in the apocalypse or now.
And so, the four of them slowly entered the path, holding their torches.
Just like at the beginning, the three of them surrounded Yan Yu’an in the middle, protecting him from any harm.
Soon, the monster appeared with a roar.
Yan Yu’an narrowed his eyes and found that this monster’s condition wasn’t good.
Clearly, Xie Ji and the other two had noticed this too.
Xie Ji was the first to step forward. The torch blazed with fierce flames, and a trace of confusion flashed through the monster’s bean-sized black eyes—then the burning sensation made it cry out in pain and immediately leap aside, away from this thing.
Xie Ji was secretly delighted. “An’an, this thing works!” As he spoke, he grinned proudly and rushed up like the wind, pressing the flames onto the monster’s body.
Ning Bingque raised an eyebrow. He glanced at Shen Yuanzhou and suddenly said: “You protect him first. I’ll go have some fun.”
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