Chapter 44: Here! Eat Her!

Ethan and Dr. Elena Vance returned to the convenience store inside the factory.

The moment the rolling shutter was pushed open, Haley was the first one to rush over.

"Auntie Elena!"

The little girl grabbed Dr. Elena’s arm tightly. "You’re finally back!" Her eyes were red. She had clearly been terrified something had happened to them.

Leo, Zach, and Pete crowded around next. Their eyes immediately locked onto Ethan’s backpack.

"Mr. Ethan, you’re back!" Leo rubbed his hands together with an eager smile. "Dr. Elena, you’re back too."

Zach glanced at Ethan’s backpack. "About that bag of rice you mentioned earlier..."

Ethan didn’t bother answering. He reached into his backpack, pulled out a bag of rice, and tossed it to Zach.

Zach caught it. His eyes immediately lit up. "Ethan, you’re too generous." Then his expression changed. "But Haley is still young. She’s growing. She needs proper nutrition."

Pete quickly nodded. "Exactly. Exactly." He pointed at Ethan’s backpack. "That thing is huge. You must have plenty of supplies. What’s the harm in giving us a little more?"

Ethan’s expression darkened. These three were really pushing their luck. He was just about to say something when Dr. Elena gently touched his arm.

"We have enough rice for now." She looked at Zach. "Don’t ask Ethan for anything else."

Zach’s face tightened. "Doctor, you’re too honest." He shook his head. "In the Apocalypse, everyone looks out for themselves. Ethan has plenty of supplies. What’s wrong with sharing some?"

Ethan sneered. He was about to throw them a few cans of food just to end the argument when something caught his attention.

Several dark-green shapes were sliding through the back window.

Ethan’s expression changed.

Vipers.

They were as thick as a man’s forearm, their scales a deep ink-green that almost blended into the shadows. Their triangular heads moved from side to side. Their forked tongues flicked rapidly. And their scarlet eyes locked onto everyone inside.

Especially Ethan.

"Mutant vipers!"

Pete was the first to scream. His face instantly turned pale.

Five vipers shot forward like arrows. Their speed was terrifying.

Zach reacted first. But instead of protecting Haley, he grabbed her by the arm and hurled her toward the approaching snakes.

"Here! Eat her!"

The moment Haley hit the floor, Zach turned and ran. He clutched the bag of rice to his chest. Leo and Pete immediately followed.

Haley screamed. "Zach! You monster!"

She landed directly in front of the leading viper. The snake raised its head. Its jaws opened wide, revealing two curved fangs.

Dr. Elena’s eyes widened with fury. "Haley!"

Extreme Ice Flame erupted from her palm. The white flames streaked toward the viper, carrying an eerie, bone-chilling cold. But her anger had thrown off her aim. The attack missed by several inches.

"Teleportation!"

Ethan’s voice was ice-cold. His figure vanished. The next instant, he appeared beside Haley and scooped her up. The viper’s fangs snapped shut. They grazed Ethan’s wrist, leaving two small bloody punctures.

"Hiss!"

All five vipers suddenly turned toward him. Their tongues flicked rapidly. They seemed to have sensed something on him. They ignored Dr. Elena completely. Then they lunged at Ethan together. Their bodies scraped across the concrete floor, producing a horrible rustling sound.

So they really are after me.

Ethan’s heart sank. The answer was obvious. The Snake King’s aura was still clinging to him.

"Gravity Control!"

He raised his hand. Gravity increased fivefold within a three-meter radius in front of him. The two leading vipers were slammed against the floor. Their bodies writhed violently as their scales scraped against the concrete.

Elena seized the opening. She rushed forward and slammed her palm toward them. "Extreme Ice Flame!"

White flames engulfed the two snakes. Hissing filled the room. Ice rapidly spread across their bodies, freezing their scales solid.

"Spatial Cut!"

A white arc flashed through the air. Both frozen heads were severed cleanly.

The remaining three vipers immediately changed tactics. Two wrapped themselves around Ethan’s legs. The third lunged straight toward his neck. Its fangs glimmered with a dark purplish-blue color.

Venom.

"Get off me!"

Ethan stomped down. He suddenly reduced the gravity around himself. The change in weight gave him enough force to jump. While rising, he swung his sword.

"Spatial Cut!"

The white arc swept across the snakes. Black blood sprayed against the wall. A foul, fishy stench filled the room.

Elena’s control over her Extreme Ice Flame was improving rapidly. She thrust out her palm. A stream of white flame struck the final viper. Ice spread across its body and locked it in place.

Ethan stepped forward. His sword pierced its head. The snake went still.

Ethan landed and immediately kicked one of the carcasses aside. He crouched down and split its skull open with his sword. Nothing. Only foul-smelling brain matter. He checked another. The same thing.

Five vipers. Not a single Core.

"These snakes aren’t normal." Dr. Elena leaned against the wall, breathing heavily. Her face was pale. "They weren’t attacking everyone." She looked at Ethan. "They were targeting you."

Ethan touched the two puncture wounds on his wrist. The skin around them was already becoming numb. "It’s the Snake King’s aura." His expression hardened. "So my guess was right."

These vipers had tracked him here.

Then a heavy thud came from outside. Both of them looked toward the door. Another thud.

Ethan and Elena rushed outside. They froze.

Zach, Pete, and Leo were lying in the yard. Their bodies were mangled beyond recognition. The concrete surrounding them was covered with vipers. Dozens of them. At least thirty. Their ink-green scales shimmered under the morning sunlight. Their triangular heads rose and fell as their tongues flicked rapidly. The entire yard was covered in snakes.

"A whole snake pack..."

Elena’s face went white.

Ethan looked back toward the convenience store. More vipers were already sliding through the broken window. The five inside had only been the first wave. The entire factory was being surrounded.

Ethan’s expression became ugly. "Damn Snake King." He looked at the endless snakes. "I only killed one of your descendants. How many generations removed was it, anyway? Do you really need an entire army to hunt me down?"

But Ethan was blaming the wrong creature. The Snake King wasn’t specifically hunting him. The viper swarm was following the Snake King’s orders to expand its territory. The corrosive mucus that had gotten onto Ethan’s body carried a distinct aura. To these vipers, that aura meant one thing.

Enemy of the Snake King.

That was why they were gathering around him.

Ethan cursed under his breath. His situation was getting worse by the second. He had already used Gravity Control and Spatial Cut repeatedly. His remaining Ability energy was dangerously low. And he had only one use of One-Way Teleportation left today. The numbness in his wrist was spreading. He couldn’t afford another fight. Once the viper swarm surrounded him completely, even his abilities might not save him.

"Into the Survival Space!"

Ethan grabbed Elena’s arm. With a thought, he pulled her into the Survival Space. At the same time, he locked onto the Space Anchor Point he had established at the underground casino.

The swarm surged forward. Fangs snapped toward his legs. Ethan activated his final One-Way Teleportation. White light exploded around him. For one brief moment, everything disappeared.

The last thing Ethan saw was the viper swarm throwing itself at the spot where he had been standing. The snakes collided with one another, twisting into a writhing mass. Beside the bodies of Zach, Pete, and Leo, a viper thicker than Ethan’s arm slowly raised its head. Its scarlet eyes reflected the fading afterimage of Ethan’s teleportation.

Then everything went black.

Underground Casino

White light flashed inside the main guest room. Ethan stumbled forward and collapsed onto the floor. He was breathing heavily. The numbness in his wrist had spread farther up his arm. His vision began to blur. He shook his head violently, trying to clear it.

Poison.

He had been bitten. He couldn’t tell how much venom had entered his bloodstream. With the little strength he had left, Ethan immediately released Dr. Elena and Haley from the Survival Space.

"Are you okay?" Elena rushed toward him. "Ethan!"

He tried to answer. Nothing came out. His vision went dark. His body collapsed heavily onto the floor.

And Ethan completely lost consciousness.