Every player at full combat power can unlock additional combat skills—for example, Firelight’s “Explosion from Nothing” or Kele’s “Wind Control” during every battle… as for Shanhai’s… Jian Xingyi hasn’t seen his yet; it’s unclear whether it’s because there hasn’t been a suitable opportunity to use it, or if Shanhai simply isn’t in the habit of using it.

Moreover, this skill is distributed based on the player’s ID, but Kele’s ID… perhaps it was too abstract, so the system didn’t rely on the ID but rather on the player’s aura. It’s said that aside from the ID—which accounts for the majority—a player’s aura, personality, and combat habits also influence this skill. No one knows exactly how the system calculates this; one can only say that in certain aspects—such as Memory Bubbles and skill customization—the system is masterful, surpassing AI.

At that moment, Jian Xingyi also witnessed Canglang’s skill. A glow seemed to appear in the palm of his hand. Raising his rifle, he charged forward alongside the remaining uncaptured players to face Wan Yu head-on. As Canglang swung his fist, Jian Xingyi thought he caught a glimpse of a wolf’s claw—Canglang’s palm had become enormous, swift, powerful, and razor-sharp.

The two sides clashed. Canglang and Wan Yu became locked in a fierce struggle, but due to the overwhelming numerical disadvantage—Wan Yu’s forces consisted entirely of elite troops—Canglang’s side was unable to gain the upper hand.

While everyone was engrossed in the battle, Shanhai carried Jian Xingyi to the edge of the animal trap net and used a small knife to pierce it.

The animal trap was made of such high-quality material that it could only be opened by the owner clicking 【Release】; forcing it open required considerable strength, which is why Shanhai had taken the best knife from his backpack.

If Jian Xingyi had tried to cut it, it might have taken until tomorrow, but Shanhai’s strength was superhuman to begin with, and after a brief struggle, he finally tore it open by brute force.

Canglang caught a glimpse of this out of the corner of his eye and was left speechless.

This man… could actually tear the net apart with his bare hands? He had already prepared himself for a fight to the death.

Once the people inside were released, they immediately went to assist Canglang and the others.

Wan Yu’s gaze darkened slightly as he looked at Shanhai and Jian Xingyi. “I thought you wouldn’t get involved in our internal disputes? I don’t want to lay a hand on you.”

Jian Xingyi, cradled in Shanhai’s arms, took advantage of his presence to retort, “We weren’t involved at all. We just saw an injustice and stepped in to help. Besides, is it that you don’t want to fight, or that you’re too scared to?”

Jian Xingyi was gloating. Who else would dare lay a finger on Shanhai?

Shanhai’s lips curved into a faint smile.

Cute.

Wan Yu froze, about to say something, but in that split second of distraction, he was sent flying by a single palm strike from Canglang.

Although the 11 players at full combat strength were ranked on the leaderboard, that was merely the overall ranking for the quarterly competition. Everyone had their wins and losses; in reality, aside from Shanhai, the gap between the rest wasn’t that significant.

Therefore, Wan Yu’s battle with Canglang was far from easy.

After Shanhai took the time to untangle the animal trap, Wan Yu, wanting to prevent Shanhai from joining the fray, took a few steps back and shouted, “Cast the net! Retreat!”

Wan Yu’s men immediately spread out the animal trap again.

Canglang winced at the thought of the guild’s expenses.

That selfish bastard Wan Yu… just to suppress them, he’s so casually wasting the guild’s precious items and dawn coins!

Canglang, frustrated by his lack of discipline, snapped, “And you keep claiming you care about the guild! That you’re pouring your heart and soul into it! This is the hard-earned money and gear everyone has saved up!”

Wan Yu replied coldly, “You can’t explain ice to a summer insect, nor the sea to a well frog. My mistake was losing sight of the bigger picture because of the small.”

This time, the net Wan Yu and the others cast was smaller in size, but there were far more of them. Once they were densely scattered, it was nearly impossible to dodge.

Shanhai held Jian Xingyi close as they dodged, and everyone scrambled in a chaotic scramble to evade.

Qingqing was among those who couldn’t dodge in time. Wan Yu and his group made a daring move, directly subduing her and carrying her away.

Canglang wanted to give chase, but Wan Yu and Shanhai—having unlocked the full-map dungeon progress reward—had obtained numerous random teleportation anchors. They used one immediately, vanishing from the spot.

“Fuck!”

Canglang cursed furiously.

Since it would be difficult to subdue Canglang and his group in the short term, they took Qingqing hostage.

Canglang clenched his fists so tightly that the veins on the backs of his hands trembled with the strain.

Yu Shen was currently missing and critically injured, on the verge of death; Qingqing had also been taken hostage. The two most important people in his life…

At that moment, he felt a burning desire to kill Wan Yu.

That bastard…

The others gathered around him. “What should we do, Brother Canglang?”

“They’ve taken Qingqing…! What are they going to do to her?!”

Canglang knelt on the ground, his eyes bulging with fury, his head buzzing.

By now, Wan Yu’s actions had made the right and wrong of the situation crystal clear. Regardless of how it began, using a beast net to forcibly round everyone up and prevent them from searching for Yu Shen was wrong in itself—it was even a case of trying to cover up the truth. As a result, Shanhai and Jian Xingyi had both reached their conclusions.

Shanhai’s cold yet firm voice cut through the panic: “Post this on the public chat. Write down everything you know clearly.”

Jian Xingyi thought for a moment and added, “That makes sense! This way, Wan Yu definitely won’t dare to lay a finger on Qingqing. Let all the players in the region keep an eye on him. Make a big deal out of this and see if he dares to admit it!”

Canglang looked up, his gaze intense as he fixed it on Jian Xingyi. “Can you help us?”

“Yes!” Jian Xingyi nodded vigorously.

Ten minutes later, Canglang posted a message on the public channel.

He didn’t go into overly complicated or detailed explanations—for instance, since Yu Shen and the scroll were classified information, Canglang didn’t elaborate much on them.

But the rest of the content was shocking enough.

Essentially, it stated that Yu Shen had apparently been framed during the zombie tide, then went missing after meeting Wan Yu. Canglang and his group had set out together to search for Yu Shen, and had even received assistance from Xinghe and Shanhai, but were blocked—and even attacked—by Wan Yu. Wan Yu had also kidnapped Qingqing to force everyone back to the guild.

Seeing this, Wan Yu and his supporters immediately stepped forward to clarify the situation.

【Goodness… I’m truly amazed at how you’ve twisted the Guild President’s good intentions and distorted the facts like this. Just look at all the dedicated contributions the Guild President has made to the Rainforest District and the Guild!】

【I am Wan Yu, Guild President of “Rain Never Stops.” First, I must clarify: I am more worried than anyone else about Yu Shen’s injuries and disappearance. What reason would I have to harm my own vice-guild master? But since Yu Shen is missing, I can’t just let the other members of my guild recklessly go out into the dangerous Python Zone to search in the rain, can I? For this reason, I had no choice but to play the bad guy and try to bring everyone back.】

【That makes sense……】

【Ah…… I came here all excited to watch the drama, but now I’m just dumbfounded. I thought Wan Yu was an excellent Guild President? Wasn’t he the one who led 【Rain Never Stops】 to the top?】

But the situation quickly turned around.

Xinghe: 【Let me weigh in. Shanhai and I were passing by when we saw Canglang and his group searching for someone in the wilderness—and they were sick, too—so we offered to help. We went into the Python Zone with them, but we never expected to be ambushed today. I don’t quite understand… With Shanhai and Canglang here, our combat strength is guaranteed; and with me here, it shouldn’t be a problem even if everyone gets sick. So why is Wan Yu leading his people to shoot at us and use animal traps, as if he doesn’t want us to find Yu Shen?】

Shanhai: 【Hmm.】

Jian Xingyi had intended to come over and explain a few things.

But…

【Huh?! Xinghe and Shanhai?? Why are you two traveling together? Did I miss some big scoop?!】

【Huh??? Wan Yu and his crew fired at my boss Xinghe?!!】

【Damn! Wan Yu and his crew used animal traps on my boss Xinghe?】

【No way… Big Shot Xinghe came all the way to the rainforest and even listed a life-saving potion, and this is how you treat him?!】

Jian Xingyi: “……?”

Huh??

But thankfully, thanks to Jian Xingyi and Shanhai speaking up, the situation turned around instantly.

【Don’t forget, Wan Yu is the Guild President, but Yu Shen is the vice president. If you really break it down, Yu Shen’s contributions aren’t any less than Wan Yu’s. It’s just that Wan Yu knows how to manage his public image, while Yu Shen focuses more on doing his own thing—like using his knowledge to help people out in the wild. My friends and I have all benefited from his kindness!】

【Yeah, I didn’t dare say it before, but Yu Shen has helped me too. He’s a gentle person. If something happened, it’d be totally normal for our teammates to go look for him, right? Why stop them? Plus, it doesn’t sound like a normal interception anyway…】

【Exactly. I’m starting to worry now—what’s going to happen to that girl after she gets taken back…?】

Mission accomplished.

Jian Xingyi sighed, “This Wan Yu… it feels like every move he makes is a self-destructive one. He doesn’t seem very smart.”

Shanhai stroked his chin, “He isn’t unintelligent; rather, his cleverness has backfired on him. He’s just too full of himself.”

“Huh?”

Canglang said coldly, “That’s called being blinded by a single leaf! What Wan Yu has always valued most… is the reputation and strength of the guild he runs. He’s immersed in the fantasy of being revered by ten thousand people, overestimating himself and underestimating Yu Shen’s influence.”

He never imagined that Yu Shen’s quiet dedication to helping others would overshadow his own fame, nor did he expect that Xinghe and Shanhai—outsiders—would enjoy greater public trust than his own local guild.

“At least now he won’t dare harm Qingqing. Otherwise, he’d be confirming his guilt.”

“But there are plenty of ways to torture someone without killing them…” someone worried. “I’m so afraid Qingqing will be framed just like Brother Yu Shen…”

What if, when they return, they find Qingqing has ‘disappeared’ too?

Canglang took a deep breath, as if making a momentous decision. He looked at Shanhai and Jian Xingyi, like a drowning man clinging to his only lifeline.

Canglang’s voice was hoarse. “We’ll split into two groups. Can… I entrust Yu Shen to you?”

After all, given the current situation, splitting up was inevitable. Therefore, Canglang would have to lead a group back via teleportation to rescue Qingqing—he knew the guild better than Jian Xingyi and Shanhai.

Jian Xingyi glanced at Shanhai. Seeing no objection, she nodded and said, “We’ll do our best to find him.”

“Thank you. If you find him… I… you can ask for anything—my life, dawn coins, or any resources. I’ll keep my word.”

“Don’t worry… it won’t come to that!” Jian Xingyi patted Canglang on the shoulder and said, “We’re looking for Yu Shen ourselves and have our own plans.”

“Alright.”

Canglang took three or four high-level fighters back with him, while the rest joined Shanhai and Jian Xingyi to conduct a thorough search.

Since they’d spotted bloodstains, it meant Yu Shen was definitely nearby.

Everyone split into pairs to search separately, sharing any leads in the newly created group chat.

Another half-day passed with no results. Jian Xingyi sighed. “Shuixi… I don’t think we can keep going like this. The terrain around here is too complex. We’re not familiar with the area, and I feel like we might miss Yu Shen’s hiding spot. I think we need to use some items.”

“Hmm.” Jian Xingyi was right; they couldn’t keep dragging this out. If Wan Yu and the others couldn’t find where Yu Shen was hiding, it would be even harder for them, as outsiders, to locate him.

Jian Xingyi said, “I have two pouches here. I think it’s worth using one.”

Shanhai had no objections.

【Player 【Xinghe】, do you confirm using 【Brilliant Plan】 x1?】

Confirm!

After opening the pouch, just like Shanhai before him, Jian Xingyi received a slip of paper with a single line of text.

—Follow in the footsteps of the King of the Jungle, and he will lead you to the right path.

So this pouch really is… It’s already a precious item, but couldn’t it be a little clearer?

It even has to be phrased like a riddle when giving them the answer.

Jian Xingyi was a bit puzzled, “What is the King of the Jungle?”

Fortunately, this little brain teaser didn’t stump Shanhai, who answered immediately: “It’s the Golden Python—the one we encountered earlier. Based on that, it seems Yu Shen’s hiding place is somewhere the Golden Python frequents or its lair.”

“……Awesome.”

But now there’s a new problem—how do we find the Golden Python?

It’s not like you can just run into this thing whenever you want…

Although Shanhai had an item—one they’d used earlier in the lava volcano while chasing the Dodo beast—that could attract all dangerous creatures in the vicinity.

But that item…

Using it in this Python zone and attracting every single Python here would be… absolute hell!

Ah!

Got it!

Jian Xingyi pulled out one of his items.

Shanhai asked curiously, “What’s this?”

Jian Xingyi showed Shanhai his old in-game mail.

【Player 【Xinghe】 obtained an SSR for the first time through harvesting, completed the achievement 【Lucky Streak】, and received a reward of 66,666 dawn coins, 5 Management Exchange Vouchers, and the special item 【Hunting Trap】】

So that’s it…

“I’ve got a brilliant idea!” Jian Xingyi’s eyes lit up. “Here’s the plan: my Hunting Trap can lure creatures into a fixed area. If we deploy our items at the same time… that would be perfect! All the creatures you attract will be trapped inside this trap, so we won’t have to worry about getting attacked!”

Jian Xingyi’s excitement grew. “I can even collect Essence Points!”

No sooner said than done, the two set their plans in motion.

The two items were placed nearby, while Jian Xingyi and Shanhai hid among the tree branches.

Then… they were treated to the sight of a hundred snakes swarming toward the phoenix.

A dense swarm of snakes crawled up from the ground—some large, some small—winding their plump bodies toward the trap. The trap cast a glowing circle on the grass; the drawn-in snakes crawled into the circle and froze in place.

The circle grew larger and larger, yet the snakes inside piled higher and higher.

Jian Xingyi activated his skill while getting goosebumps; after all, the scene before him was somewhat disgusting and terrifying.

【Harvest Successful, Absorbed 【Essence】 x12】

【Harvest Successful, Absorbed 【Essence】 x9】

【Harvest Successful, Absorbed 【Essence】 x15】

Not a single one more or less.

Jian Xingyi did, however, manage to scoop up quite a few small snakes, as well as some unrelated lambs, piglets, and calves…

“Boom—”

Just then, the ground shook, and the sound of snapping branches mingled with a spine-chilling “hiss.”

The small snakes in the trap began to thrash wildly, emitting shrill cries as if trying to escape out of fear.

It seems it’s here…!

Not far away, a golden python slowly approached, flickering its tongue.

Its massive body nearly blocked out the sky. It reached the edge of the trap and peered around it, scrutinizing the small snakes. The little snakes were so terrified they lay completely still, limp as rag dolls.

In the blink of an eye, Shanhai’s gaze turned sharp, signaling Jian Xingyi to pack up their props—otherwise, they’d become disposable.

Boom—!

The giant python struck the ground with a single, gentle sway, leaving a massive crater where the props had been placed. Once the props were retrieved, the remaining small snakes immediately scattered in all directions like mad.

The giant python gave its tail another flick and strolled away leisurely.

Jian Xingyi and Shanhai quietly followed behind.

The giant python slithered through the woods, dragging its massive body. First, it came to the riverbank, flicking its tongue to drink water; then it went on to catch and swallow two unidentified creatures. Watching this, Jian Xingyi felt a chill run down his spine, as if he were some kind of wildlife observer.

Having eaten and drunk its fill, the giant python suddenly headed in a strange direction.

What made this strange was that, relying on its massive size, the python actually swam across the river and then began climbing up the cliff face along the riverbank.

Is there a path up there…?

Shanhai held Jian Xingyi in his arms and cautiously followed the python, swimming across and then using his iron hook to climb upward.

The cliff face was smooth and loose, nearly vertical—not a place ordinary people could climb. Shanhai had to proceed with great caution to find footholds and handholds.

The giant python climbed to a certain point, suddenly turned a corner, and then slithered into a cave hidden by foliage nearby.

The two of them followed the python into the cave and were both stunned.

There was sky outside the cave…

Rather than a cave, it was merely an entrance. Upon entering, they found themselves in a whole new world—it looked like a hollowed-out mountain, with light streaming in at an angle from above. Inside, there were floating islands everywhere, overgrown with weeds and tangled with trees, all covered in blue flowers.

The giant python had vanished without a trace. There were too many cave entrances, floating islands, and winding paths here, with even more areas hidden by the trees.

Snakes of all sizes slithered and wriggled everywhere, and the air was filled with the sound of hissing.

Jian Xingyi said, “It looks like this is the place! As long as we find a floating island or cave that the snake can’t reach, that’s likely where Yu Shen is hiding.”

“Mm-hmm.”

The two of them moved stealthily through the thicket, dodging the snakes.

“Hiss.”

Jian Xingyi’s leg was suddenly lacerated by a sharp, red plant resembling a seven-leaf lily.

It wouldn’t have been a big deal, but the moment the red leaf touched the blood, it suddenly became agitated, swaying its head back and forth as it lunged toward Jian Xingyi’s leg, attempting to drive its sharp tip into her wound.

“……!”

This is getting a little out of hand!!

Shanhai reacted with lightning speed, using his pocket knife to sever the plant, which seemed to have come to life.

Jian Xingyi watched the severed leaves still twitching and thought to himself… This is truly the rainforest.

Jian Xingyi tremblingly cast a skill on the remaining red leaves.

【Harvest Successful, Absorbed 【Essence】 x30】

“……”

That’s a drop?!

Jian Xingyi had been using his skill on countless plants along the way; their levels were neither too high nor too low, but still higher than those in the rainforest’s depths, and his essence count was nearing a thousand.

But he never expected… the plants here to be this tall?!

Jian Xingyi tried using his skill on the remaining red leaves and plants.

【Harvest Successful, Absorbed 【Essence】 x25】

【Harvest Successful, Absorbed 【Essence】 x36】

Wow!!

This area is practically the rainforest version of the Fire God’s Belly!

Jian Xingyi excitedly cast his skill everywhere; in the blink of an eye, his Essence count broke a thousand—and then some.

1550/7500

“The essence levels here are so high…!”

Shanhai looked around. “Maybe it’s because no people, zombies, or infected creatures can get in. This place feels like… a snake den, or rather, the ‘tribe’ of the Snake King.”

Jian Xingyi swallowed hard. So that’s it.

They were in a snake den.

No wonder…

Even the plants here seemed to be sucking on his wounds like snakes.

Fortunately, even though it was a snake den, these snakes were in a state of semi-hibernation—or perhaps… they were just too lazy to move.

They coiled around branches and moved leisurely between the floating islands. As long as they didn’t provoke them on purpose, the snakes didn’t seem inclined to target humans.

Relying on his exceptional counter-surveillance skills, Shanhai led Jian Xingyi as they carefully navigated past group after group of snakes. The two wandered through the area, and after searching for a while, they finally spotted it—a particularly massive floating island. The only way to reach it was to grab a vine and swing across.

It was a quirk of the terrain, but precisely because of this structure, it was the only place the snakes couldn’t reach—after all, only humans could swing on vines; snakes couldn’t.

After swinging across, the two stepped into the cave connected to the floating island and finally… saw someone!!

Oh my god!!!

That was a close call!!

Jian Xingyi felt as though he’d finally beaten a game or completed a mission; he was deeply moved.

In a corner of the cave, a man was curled up against the rock wall, and the air was thick with the smell of blood.

Jian Xingyi called out cautiously, “Yu Shen…?”

The man didn’t respond.

The two stepped closer, and upon a closer look, Jian Xingyi’s blood ran cold.

Oh my God…

The moment they saw him, they immediately recognized him as Yu Shen—he was missing an arm. But now, the plant that had initially scratched Jian Xingyi’s ankle had, for some reason, grown to form a circle around the man. The man was practically sleeping amidst this cluster of red leaves, and many of them had already pierced the wound where Yu Shen’s arm was missing. Not only that, but his lower body was covered in injuries, equally tightly bound by the red leaves.

Jian Xingyi’s eyes widened.

Wasn’t he going to be sucked dry by these red leaves…!

“It’s okay, look closely.” Shanhai patted Jian Xingyi’s shoulder reassuringly: “These red leaves are already dead. I think… Yu Shen did this on purpose.”

“Huh?”

“He must have been suffering from severe blood loss when he arrived here, so he intentionally let the red leaves plug his wounds, and then chopped them down the very moment they tried to feed. That way, not only could the leaves not finish draining his blood, but the blood would actually flow back into him.”

Jian Xingyi listened, completely dumbfounded.

Huh?

Huh??

What kind of cyber-medicine is this?

Jian Xingyi flipped the man over, wanting to see if he was still conscious.

But the moment he turned him over, Jian Xingyi froze.

This…

was a face he recognized.