Volume 1, Chapter 6: The Disappearance of Biological Life Draws Attention

Half an hour later, Professor Wang and his team had finally entered the deep periphery of the Ten Thousand Mountains. However, the mountain ranges here stretch for hundreds of kilometers, and the dense primeval forests make for difficult trekking.

One could easily lose their way, so Professor Wang carried a GPS, a compass, a directional needle, magnesium fire-starters, and various other survival supplies. Furthermore, the local government had been informed of their excursion; if they did not emerge before nightfall, a search party would be dispatched.

Professor Wang walked along a narrow path through the weeds, while Zhang Tianyou and Fang Long used machetes to clear the overgrowth and protruding branches ahead.

"Strange, how is it that there isn't a single Mangshan pit viper here? I saw several just the year before last!" Professor Wang was somewhat bewildered. He was unaware that his "precious treasures" had long since been swallowed whole by Wang Long.

After trekking for over half an hour, the grueling mountain terrain and thick brush left Zhang Tianyou and Fang Long drenched in sweat.

"Professor Wang, have you noticed how quiet it is in these mountains?" Zhang Tianyou couldn't help but ask.

Professor Wang turned back to face him. "You mentioning it reminds me—it is indeed far too quiet."

"And we've been walking for over an hour, yet we haven't encountered a single bird, or even an ordinary snake."

Zhang Tianyou pondered for a moment before adding, "There aren't any tigers here, are there?"

"What's there to fear? My Type 92 pistol isn't just for show. Any tiger wouldn't be able to take two shots from me," Fang Long said from behind, patting the black holster on his waist.

It was as if he carried the embodiment of truth at his hip, unafraid of any creature that dared to cause trouble. The pouch was perfectly sized for a pistol and featured a seal that could be ripped open instantly in an emergency to draw the weapon. As the person in charge of the expedition's safety, Fang Long had been authorized to carry the sidearm, which held fifteen rounds.

Hearing Fang Long's words, Zhang Tianyou's mood eased slightly. In these deep, old forests, encountering a tiger would be a disaster.

Professor Wang, unable to continue, sat down on a pile of fallen leaves, gasping for air. "I'm getting old; I have to stop after just a little walking. Why is it so quiet in these mountains?" A sense of ominous foreboding welled up inside him.

Zhang Tianyou and Fang Long, both former special forces soldiers, had sensed the anomaly long ago but couldn't put their fingers on it. They had no choice but to rest along with the professor.

***

Meanwhile, having finished his sunbathing, Wang Long twisted his body and set off to continue his hunt. Having evolved into a green anaconda, his senses were more than ten times sharper, allowing him to perceive the presence of living creatures from a great distance.

"It seems I've completely cleared out the local wildlife within a ten-mile radius." Sensing that the unique biological signals in the air had vanished, Wang Long felt a wave of disappointment.

He flicked his tongue, continuing to sense his surroundings, when a scent drifted through the air—the smell of a tiger.

"A tiger? Right, how could I have forgotten? The tigress of the two cubs I ate earlier must still be in this part of the mountain," Wang Long thought. Memories flashed back to the mother tiger from three months ago. Back then, Wang Long was no match for her, but now, with a total length of twelve meters, a one-on-one fight was no challenge at all.

Moreover, he possessed high-level "copper skin and iron bones" that even submachine gun bullets couldn't penetrate, which was more than enough to handle a tiger. Not to mention his five-centimeter-long lethal fangs, which could release 500 milligrams of blood-based toxin upon biting. Combined with the terrifying, potent venom of the cockscomb snake, he could kill an elephant on the spot—taking down a "kitty" would be trivial.

Wang Long slithered rapidly. An hour later, he sensed the tigress resting under a large tree to keep cool.

[System Notification: Tiger detected. Upon consumption, the "Lightning Speed" critical strike will be triggered, granting speed equivalent to The Flash.]

"That powerful?" Wang Long was momentarily stunned, staring at the system interface that had appeared out of thin air. Feeling as if he had found a priceless treasure, he continued to crawl forward.

Back on Professor Wang’s side, they had walked for another half hour without seeing a single animal—even the monkeys in the trees had vanished.

"Strange. I shouldn't be in the wrong place, right? Is this the Ten Thousand Mountains? There shouldn't be any signs of human activity here! How can there be no animals at all?" Professor Wang was confused. A year ago, he had seen plenty of wildlife; now, there wasn't a single hair to be found. How was he supposed to record any data?

He was starting to consider turning back. After all, they had been out for a long time, and if they ventured any deeper and got lost, they might never return.

"Awoo—awoo..."

A series of tiger roars echoed through the forest, carrying over a great distance. The three men’s expressions changed instantly. "A tiger?" they said in unison.

Fang Long instinctively drew his sidearm. At that moment, the tigress, as if she had caught a scent, lunged out from the forest. She covered the distance to the trio in a flash, stopping just twenty meters away. She could tear them to shreds in mere seconds.

***

Fang Long chambered a round, aiming at the beast, his finger ready to pull the trigger. But just then, the tigress stopped advancing. As if she had seen something that invoked a deep, primal fear, she actually began to back away slowly.

"Professor Wang, it actually recognizes a gun?" Zhang Tianyou couldn't help but ask.

"Perhaps this is a major discovery!" Professor Wang's heart was in his throat, and he didn't dare move a muscle. A tiger cannot handle provocation, especially at such close range.

On the other side, Wang Long had slithered over. Seeing the tigress retreating, he didn't hesitate to open his jaws and strike.

The tigress looked up and saw a twelve-meter-long giant python appearing beside her. If not for the density of the surrounding vegetation, she would have spotted him much sooner.

Wang Long didn't care about anything else—he just attacked. He opened his blood-red maw and lunged at the tiger's body. But as the queen of the beasts, the tiger wasn't easy prey. Although she was a female, she was even more ferocious in combat.

The tigress swiped her massive paw at Wang Long's head. *Smack! Smack! Smack!* A few strikes left Wang Long dizzy, but he seized the opportunity to sink his teeth into her paw.

The tiger let out a pained roar. Just as she was about to retaliate, Wang Long had already pulled back to a distance of ten meters.

The tigress bared her fangs, preparing to lunge and tear the "spicy strip" to pieces, but after only a few steps, her entire body shuddered. It was Wang Long's "Lethal Fang" skill taking effect—a toxin that could kill creatures twice his size within two and a half seconds.

Though Wang Long had been a bit careless, relying on his formidable defenses, he had still managed to bite her paw and inject the terrifying toxin. In just a few seconds, the fierce tiger was dead. Seeing the fallen tigress, Wang Long felt as if he had seen the light. He coiled around her and began to consume her, starting from the head.