Chapter 10

Chapter 10

“Exactly, it’s impossible. These snakes might look ugly, but they’re very docile and non-venomous.”

As I spoke, I brought the snake’s head close to Tong Wei’s hand.

“See? It won’t bite at all.”

The words had barely left my mouth when the Man-eating Snake sank its teeth into Tong Wei’s index finger. Its razor-sharp fangs tore away a large chunk of flesh, which it swallowed in a few quick gulps.

Tong Wei let out a blood-curdling scream, thrashing his arm wildly.

“Qiao Moyu, go to hell!”

Blinded by rage, his face twisted into a hideous mask as he pulled a handgun from his pocket and aimed it at me. At that exact moment, the sand beneath our feet began to vibrate violently. Clusters of snakes started erupting from the sandy pits in waves.

The crowd erupted in screams. A second later, the ground beneath me vanished. I plummeted straight down, sinking into the sand.

I clawed frantically at my surroundings, but my hands found nothing but loose grit. The overwhelming yellow sand buried me, and my vision plunged into total darkness.

I felt a crushing pressure all around me. Just as I felt I was about to suffocate, there was a heavy thud, and I hit the ground.

A thick layer of sand had cushioned my fall, so it didn’t hurt much.

I brushed myself off and stood up, staring at the sight before me in disbelief.

What met my eyes was a colossal palace.

The architecture was bizarre. Four massive pillars were adorned with intricate serpentine carvings. Countless slender stone snakes wound around each pillar like vines, extending upward to support a semi-circular domed roof.

A massive hole had been punched through the ceiling, allowing light and streams of yellow sand to pour in. Every so often, a tangled ball of snakes would drop through the opening.

It seemed the palace had been buried by the shifting sands, leaving the roof structurally compromised. With so many snakes nesting on top and our group setting up camp right above it, the thin stone ceiling had finally buckled under the weight.

I was looking up at the roof when a sudden gunshot rang out. A bullet struck the ground beside me, kicking up sparks.

Startled, I spun around. Tong Wei was standing not far away, leveling his gun at me.

“Qiao Moyu, you bitch! Why don’t you keep acting so damn smug now?”

Smoke was still curling from the dark barrel of the gun. I happened to have a handful of sand ready; I flung it into his face and bolted.

I had only taken two steps when the ground gave way beneath me again.

Scrambling for a handhold, I managed to grab onto a vine. Once I had stabilized myself, I looked down, and the sight nearly scared the soul out of my body.