Chapter 35: The Giant Python Hunts

Walking through the corridor, the two reached the water park. They moved forward while clinging to the walls, avoiding the central area; if they were to fall into the pool, their heavy anti-shark suits would make resurfacing impossible.

After traveling a short distance, they noticed an increasing number of piranhas circling them. Qin Zhong felt a secret chill; without the protection of their suits, rushing in blindly would have left them picked clean to the bone by these tiny predators.

These piranhas hunted like a highly disciplined army. When faced with prey far larger than themselves, they would strike at the eyes first, then swarm in shifts, each taking a bite before peeling away to make room for the next, devouring their prey with terrifying speed. Before their very eyes, a crocodile several meters long, which had wandered into the park, was reduced to a skeleton in mere minutes, leaving both of them deathly pale.

They kept to the walls for several dozen meters until they reached the visitor passage. Inside, it was filled with zombies—some floating on the surface, others suspended in the water. Upon sensing the light, they reached out with water-logged, whitened claws. Thankfully, these zombies possessed little offensive capability underwater. Ignoring them, the pair passed through the visitor tunnel, reached the changing rooms, turned a corner, and arrived at the main hall.

The water in the hall was much murkier. Despite the bright diving lights, visibility was limited to five or six meters; beyond that, everything was a chaotic blur. Qin Zhong and Xiao Yingyong pushed forward. After another seven or eight meters, a vague dark shadow appeared ahead—the exit to the aquarium.

Seeing the exit so close, they exchanged glances, their hearts filled with indescribable excitement. From the moment they first dodged the zombies and stumbled into this aquarium, less than half a day had passed, yet they had been dancing on the edge of a blade the entire time. Now, on the verge of escaping, they instinctively quickened their pace.

Suddenly, a surge of water rippled past them. They glanced to the side, startled. A giant python was coiled in the water, a zombie clamped in its jaws, with only the creature's legs kicking helplessly.

"Run!"

Qin Zhong felt his skin crawl. Not daring to hesitate, he grabbed Xiao Yingyong and bolted toward the exit. Just as the water level dropped and they were about to clear the hall, a long, dark shape swept across, coiling around both of them in an instant.

It was a python even larger than the one they had just seen, its body as thick as a barrel. As it tightened its grip, Qin Zhong felt a sharp, agonizing pain in his lumbar spine; his bones cracked, on the verge of snapping. His eyes bloodshot and his face twitching, he realized with horror that after coming so close to escape, they might die in the gullet of this cold-blooded beast.

Driven by a desperate will to survive, a rush of adrenaline surged through Qin Zhong. Ignoring the pain, he drew his Miao saber and plunged it deep into the snake’s thick body. The blade was exceptionally sharp; otherwise, it never would have pierced the creature's tough hide.

The python, stung by pain, coiled tighter and raised its head to strike at Qin Zhong. In that instant, Qin Zhong raised his crossbow and fired his final steel bolt directly into its gaping, blood-red maw.

With its vitals struck, the python began to thrash violently before its head eventually slumped. It seemed their attack had worked. However, despite the snake being dead, its coils remained locked. Though there was still air in their tanks, Qin Zhong found every breath a struggle. To survive, he suppressed his dizziness and hacked at the snake's body with his saber.

Beside him, Xiao Yingyong was also gasping for air, her eyes rolling back. Yet, knowing that giving up meant death, she grit her teeth and hacked away with her own diving knife.

Just as they were about to break free, another long, dark shadow glided past. Qin Zhong felt his heart turn to ice. They hadn't escaped the danger yet; another python had appeared. It seemed their doom was sealed. But as they stood paralyzed with fear, the snake simply swam past them, ignoring them entirely. Qin Zhong noticed the python’s belly was distended; it was the same one from before, likely so gorged on zombies that it was swimming out of the hall to digest its meal.

With the immediate threat gone, the two breathed a sigh of relief and redoubled their efforts, eventually slicing the first python into three sections.

This delay had cost them dearly—their oxygen was nearly depleted. Once free, they didn't look back, wading through the waist-deep water toward the exit. Stepping outside, they found it was pouring with rain. At least the area was spacious, lacking the deep flooding of the aquarium.

Qin Zhong removed his respirator and swept his headlamp around to get his bearings. Suddenly, Xiao Yingyong collapsed. Shocked, Qin Zhong caught her just in time. Her face was deathly pale from the shock of the ordeal. He quickly removed her respirator, laid her flat, and began performing chest compressions. After a few moments, she gasped, vomiting up a mouthful of foul water, and began to sob uncontrollably.

Qin Zhong held her, looking out at the dark, looming silhouettes of buildings. The night was too black and the rain too heavy to identify their location.

"We need to find somewhere to rest," he thought, his mind racing. But the area was unfamiliar, and wandering aimlessly could lead them into even greater danger.

As he hesitated, he spotted a small door near the entrance. He helped Xiao Yingyong to a wall and approached it. Carefully pushing it open, he revealed a staircase leading upward. Finding no immediate danger with his headlamp, he returned to help Xiao Yingyong to her feet, and they moved inside.

They climbed the stairs and turned a corner into a dark, fully enclosed corridor. One side was a solid wall, while the other featured glass windows. Though it was too dark to see clearly, Qin Zhong realized they were looking out over the aquarium. The other side of the corridor held various offices—Finance, Human Resources, the General Manager's office.

He realized this was the staff area. Exhausted and having lost most of their gear, Qin Zhong braced himself and helped Xiao Yingyong into an empty office. After locking the security door, they collapsed to the floor, utterly spent.

In the darkness, though the terror still lingered, their hearts were filled with the joy of having cheated death. This night had felt like living a second life.