Chapter 98: Human-faced Giant Python
“It seems the other side prioritized the class advancement data first.”
After making that judgment, Zhou Ming continued on his way.
Since Zhou Ming could use trick mines for ambushes, others could do the same. On his way forward, he constantly paid attention to the ground beneath his feet, wary of any traps.
However, upon arriving at the entrance to the third level of the ruins, Zhou Ming did not encounter any ambush.
Even when he saw the entrance leading down, Zhou Ming did not relax his guard. It was possible the enemy wanted to lull him into lowering his vigilance and was waiting below to ambush him.
Thus, as before, Zhou Ming once again sent his snake swarm into the third layer of the ruins first to scout the situation.
“No one?”
Seeing that the snake swarm didn’t find anything, Zhou Ming also used their sensory domain to scan the area.
After confirming there was nothing unusual, Zhou Ming followed the downward passage into the third level of the ruins—also the core of the entire site.
As soon as he stepped in, a chilling sensation ran through him, and even his snake swarm grew restless.
To describe it precisely—it was like walking a dark road at night in his previous life, feeling as though something lurked within the darkness all around.
Ever since he became a Beast Tamer, possessing strength far beyond that of an ordinary man, this feeling had long vanished. Yet now, it surfaced again.
“Could it be those people back then really created some kind of monster?”
Zhou Ming’s expression turned solemn the moment he stepped into the third level.
The desiccated corpses he had encountered before had already exceeded his expectations, though his Thunder Type-2 Revolver had still been enough to deal with them.
But now, Zhou Ming doubted whether the revolver—known as the “King of Close Combat”—would remain as effective.
He still planned to follow behind the previous squad. Having someone clear the path was always better than taking risks alone.
Scanning the ground, he noticed chaotic footprints scattered everywhere—each passage entrance bore a mass of them.
“Did they do this to confuse anyone following behind?”
Aside from the numerous overlapping tracks, Zhou Ming also saw bare footprints, both new and old. These unshod prints were likely left behind by the desiccated corpses inhabiting the ruins.
Before he could even check his map, Zhou Ming sensed that one of the Ironthread Snakes he left behind had been slain.
“Didn’t expect someone to detect an Ironthread Snake’s hiding spot in such an environment.”
Without time to inspect the map, Zhou Ming immediately hid in a concealed spot nearby. Behind him was a passage leading somewhere unknown—his backup escape route.
He also recalled all surrounding snakes back into his Beast Space.
“So this is the third level of the Doomsday Ruins?”
Moments later, a team of more than ten Beast Tamers appeared in Zhou Ming’s line of sight. Judging from their mixed equipment, they seemed to be a temporary squad.
Upon entering the third level, they too sensed something amiss. Their hands stayed near their guns, and they drew closer to their beasts.
Having come this far, no one intended to retreat.
“Longnose, which way now? Too many footprints here. No way to tell which passage the Zhang Family squad took.”
The burly man who spoke turned to ask his teammate. It seemed this group knew the first squad that had entered the third level quite well.
“No rush. Didn’t expect there’s still a little rat hiding nearby.”
Upon hearing that, Zhou Ming immediately realized he had been exposed. The enemy must have a Beast with special perception—or some secret technique.
Without hesitation, he hurled a high-explosive grenade toward the passage behind him. He wasn’t yet capable of facing over a dozen Beast Tamers head-on.
With Zhou Ming’s physical strength, the grenade flew fast—but nowhere near the speed of a bullet.
Before it could land, a leopard-type Beast suddenly leapt out. With a single whip of its tail, it struck the grenade back, detonating it midair. Sparks burst forth, and the shockwave whipped up a fierce gust.
Fortunately, the explosion occurred far enough away to avoid injuring the incoming squad.
“This guy must be the one who planted those trick mines and wiped out the Shadow Serpent Hunting Squad.”
To throw a grenade without saying a word upon contact—this was a first even for them.
“This man acts without thought for consequence—vicious and ruthless. We’ll have to be careful.”
“Roar—Roar—!”
Just as the man finished speaking, deep and raspy growls echoed from afar.
“Damn it, those are the desiccated corpses in the ruins. Who knows how many! Move!”
The leader immediately recognized the sound. The explosion had drawn the undead creatures, and judging by the noise, there were plenty.
Everyone hurried toward the passageway where the sounds were faintest. For now, Zhou Ming would have to be left alone.
“Cough, cough…”
“Luckily that blast was far enough, or I’d have been asking for death.”
In a spacious hall, Zhou Ming covered his chest, relief evident in his expression.
Through this, he finally understood why hunters in the wilderness seldom used high-explosive grenades.
Unless detonated at close range, their threat wasn’t as effective as one might imagine.
The previous benefits of using grenades had blinded Zhou Ming to their drawbacks.
“Looks like I’ll need to time them carefully from now on.”
Whether or not the grenade could threaten enemies was secondary—but it must never endanger himself.
Yet while pondering how to better use grenades, Zhou Ming sensed desiccated corpses closing in. After all, he was all too familiar with their roars.
Regaining control of his churning blood and breath, Zhou Ming picked a quieter passage and hurried deeper in.
However, what he didn’t know was that his earlier explosion had brought great suffering to the Beast Tamers and hunters who arrived at the third level afterward.
Compared to the first and second layers, the number of desiccated corpses here was significantly higher, and their strength had reached the peak of Low-tier Ferocious Beasts.
What’s worse, unless their heads were destroyed, these corpses would keep fighting—causing casualties among the Beast Tamers entering later.
It seemed the experimental accident that had created this ruin had been centered on the third level.
Before long, amid the eerie darkness, Zhou Ming faced the consequence of his rash advance—
A ten-meter-long Human-faced Giant Python.
Its entire body was covered in scales resembling forged brass, shimmering with metallic luster.
Atop its serpentine head was a shriveled human face—hair long, dry, and matted with filth.
The Human-faced Giant Python coiled its massive body, its pitch-black, white-less eyes fixed unblinkingly on Zhou Ming. The viscous fluid dripping from its mouth corroded the ground, leaving pits and ridges as yellow fumes rose around it.
“Still retains a serpent’s instinct?”
The creature hadn’t immediately attacked because, after evading its first strike, Zhou Ming had unleashed the spiritual intimidation of his Serpent Pupils.
Unexpectedly, that instinctive move still worked.
However, since the python was a corpse, it possessed high resistance to the Serpent Pupils’ suppression—only its residual instincts were affected.
After a moment’s hesitation, the Human-faced Giant Python suddenly lunged at Zhou Ming like an arrow released from its bow—its speed far exceeding that of any desiccated corpse he had seen before.
“Boom!”
Seeing this, Zhou Ming immediately fired his Thunder Type-2 Revolver. Escape was no longer an option.
Within the ruins, Zhou Ming now faced the greatest danger since he’d entered.