Chapter 133: The Serpent Swarm's Night Assault

The two-headed snake was completely unfazed by my aggressive stance and lunged straight at me. I scrambled away in a panic, darting in every direction.

These evil entities weren't afraid of live roosters, only their blood, but where was I supposed to find a knife at a time like this?

The snake arched its body and suddenly leaped into the air, pouncing toward me. My heart gave a violent jolt, and I instinctively reached out and grabbed it! I intercepted the creature in mid-air, its two heads with mouths agape straining toward me as its pitch-black body writhed and thrashed.

The thing was incredibly strong and slippery; despite my desperate grip, a large portion of its body managed to squirm free. I gave it a hard fling and tossed it away.

I grabbed a rooster from nearby, hesitated for a split second, and told myself: "It's now or never!"

Gripping the chicken's neck with both hands, I opened my mouth wide and bit down hard. My stomach churned instantly, a wave of intense nausea surging up my throat. I felt utterly repulsed, but I forced myself to endure the sensation, tearing the neck open. Warm chicken blood sprayed out, filling my mouth, the pungent, raw stench hitting my brain like a physical blow. The nausea reached a breaking point.

The two-headed snake, having been thrown to the ground, was already preparing to strike again. Fighting back the overwhelming urge to vomit, I grabbed the rooster and sprayed its blood toward the creature.

As the blood hit it, the snake immediately shriveled, stopped crawling, and began writhing in agony on the floor.

It had been so aggressive just a moment ago—now it was wilting? I stepped forward, holding the rooster, and twisted its neck to bleed it further over the snake. The two-headed snake thrashed even more violently, but its momentum quickly faded until it was merely twitching weakly in its death throes.

To be absolutely sure, I grabbed a wooden bench from the side and smashed it down with all my might, crushing most of the snake's body until it stopped moving entirely.

I tossed the bench aside and sprinted out the door, finally unable to suppress my gag reflex. First, I spat out a mouthful of chicken blood, then everything else from my stomach! I rarely even ate poultry, let alone biting open a live chicken's neck—I must be going insane!

Old Man Ma and Tu'e's doors opened one after another; both had been awakened by the noise.

"What is going on with you?" Old Man Ma asked, looking at the chaotic scene.

Violent pounding came from the front gate, and a voice shouted, "Old Man Ma! Get up! There are snakes! They’re coming out of the mountains! Old Man Ma!"

I wiped my mouth with my sleeve and went to open the door.

A thin, middle-aged man stood outside, looking frantic. "Snakes! So many snakes! They’re all pouring out of the mountains!"

We rushed outside and saw a dense, writhing mass of snakes emerging from the mountains, slithering toward the village. What was happening? Why were so many snakes coming out?

Old Man Ma immediately ordered, "Do not let these snakes bite you! Anyone with a rooster, kill it now! These things fear chicken blood!"

The middle-aged man acknowledged this and ran off.

Old Man Ma turned to me. "Find a knife!"

I sprinted to the nearest house, grabbed a knife, and ran back. Old Man Ma had already emerged with two roosters. He took the knife from my hand and slit their throats, blood gushing out.

"You deal with the ones inside the village!" Old Man Ma commanded.

He held the two bleeding roosters in his hands, chanting under his breath as he ran in a circle around the village. The chicken blood formed a perimeter, and the swarming two-headed snakes stopped at the line, unable to enter.

I grabbed a wooden talisman from the house, beckoned to Tu'e, and we each took a rooster, slit their necks, and ran into the village to fend off the snakes that had already breached the perimeter.

With the protective wooden talismans, the snakes retreated, and whenever they were touched by the chicken blood, they withered instantly. Dealing with them became surprisingly easy.

"Ah—ah—!" A scream pierced the air.

I was startled. It was coming from the direction of Sanhou's house!

"I'm going to check it out! You hold them off here!" I told Tu'e and bolted toward Sanhou's place.

By the time I reached the house, the screaming had stopped. The front door was half-open, and it was deathly silent inside.

"Is anyone there?" I called out, walking in while holding the rooster, which was bleeding less and less.

It had been screaming so miserably just a moment ago; why was it silent now? Had something already happened?

Sanhou’s mother walked out of the living room. Seeing that she appeared unharmed, I let out a sigh of relief. "What happened just now? Why were you screaming?"

She didn't answer, walking toward me with a blank expression. I suddenly felt something was wrong. I narrowed my eyes and studied her; her gait was extremely strange, like a marionette on strings.

As she drew closer, I suddenly twisted the chicken's neck and threw it at her!

Stained by the chicken blood, she suddenly turned manic, her limbs flailing and twisting, her body jerking in a grotesque, unnatural way.

Just as I suspected, she had been possessed by a two-headed snake!

After her fit of rage, she lunged at me. The wooden talisman was useless against a possessed corpse! I quickly darted out the door and slammed it shut. With a loud "bang," the door was burst open, and Sanhou's mother ran out, her movements frantic and wild.

I dodged and weaved, avoiding her attacks while searching for a solution. A two-headed snake possessing a corpse was like having a protective layer; not only was it unafraid of the wooden talisman, but the chicken blood hadn't worked either! It seemed I had to force the snake out of her body.

To force out a possessing two-headed snake, one had to break its evil energy—much like Old Man Ma had done earlier—by concentrating force and striking the crown of the head with a single palm blow!

The thing pursued me relentlessly, its speed terrifying. As I reached a corner, I thought: *Now is the time!* I pushed over several hoes leaning against the wall, vaulted over them, leaped onto the wall, and landed behind her, raising my hand to strike the crown of her head!

"Waaah—!" A scream rang out. I stopped mid-strike and looked over to see a small child trembling against the wall, with several two-headed snakes crawling rapidly toward him!

Damn it! There was no way I could make it in time! I made a split-second decision and threw my wooden talisman to the child.

In that brief moment of distraction, an attack came from behind. I ducked, dodged, and sprinted forward.

Without the protection of the talisman, the surrounding two-headed snakes swarmed toward me, and there were far more of them than the ones attacking the child.

I finally understood one thing: I was a magnet for these bizarre, otherworldly things! It had been the same before. I had thought they were just picking the "softest persimmon" to squeeze, but now it was clear—even if there were softer targets nearby, they would still choose to target me!

The possessed mother of Sanhou charged at me again. I dodged, but I had already missed my best chance; getting close to her now would be difficult.

Driven back against the wall with nowhere to run, I kicked out with all my strength. I thought I had landed a solid blow, but I had forgotten that she felt no pain! She grabbed my leg and bit down hard into my calf!

I gasped in pain, my teeth gritted! A searing, sharp agony shot from where she had bitten me, and my scalp went numb as a wave of horror washed over me! It was over! I had been bitten by the two-headed snake hiding in her mouth!