Chapter 25: The Cause of the Serpent’s Death

Chapter 25: The Cause of the Giant Snake's Death

What could have killed this terrifying giant python? Anything capable of killing it so easily could just as easily kill me or Su Keke. Therefore, Xu Yi had to get to the bottom of this.

As he approached, the air was thick with flies. The stench was so overwhelming that Xu Yi felt like retching, but he forced himself to endure it.

"It’s the snake's head. There’s a hole there. That’s what killed it." Xu Yi covered his nose and mouth tightly with his clothing and pointed at the head.

The hole wasn't where the eyes were; it was on the top of the skull. Looking at it, it appeared as if something had bitten through it. But what kind of creature could bite through the skull of such a snake?

Xu Yi activated his X-ray vision to get a better look. He discovered that the hole was a remarkably regular circle—not a shape that would occur naturally. Moreover, the snake’s brain cavity was completely hollow. He leaned toward the theory that some animal had bitten into the head of this prehistoric giant and devoured its brain. He suspected this creature must be quite small, yet clearly, the prehistoric giant snake was no match for it.

He scanned the snake from head to tail with his X-ray vision. Despite some parts of its body being coiled, the length exceeded twelve meters; it must have been over fifteen meters long when alive.

"Without a doubt, this is a prehistoric species capable of hunting dinosaurs," Xu Yi mused. "The fact that it appeared here and had its brain eaten by a tiny organism is definitely not good news. Also, it hasn't been dead for long—probably no more than three days."

Xu Yi scanned it again, feeling he had missed something. Maggots were already beginning to infest the carcass; seeing them wriggling made his stomach churn even more. It was the most disgusting sight he had ever witnessed, but he had to hold it together. If he started vomiting, it would be impossible to stop.

Got it!

A dark shadow appeared in his field of vision, moving within the marrow of the snake's spine. Xu Yi suspected this might be the killer. He watched clearly as it gnawed on the spinal cord.

However, it might not be the killer; it could have arrived only after the snake died. Then again, it was possible that this thumb-thick, thirty-centimeter-long creature was indeed the culprit. Xu Yi felt conflicted. Should he skin the snake? Would doing so disturb the creature inside the spine?

[What is No. 1 doing? Just watching?]
[Keke is worried about you. You should come back.]
[That skin is too smelly to be of any use. Just leave; it feels dangerous.]

Xu Yi looked around and cut a small sapling. He was unwilling to give up such a large snake skin, but he had to be cautious of the thing in the spine. Taking a deep breath, he struck the area where the creature was located with the stick. He kept his X-ray vision active to monitor its reaction. Although his strength had increased, the blow only caused a slight impact, vibrating the bone. The creature didn't react at all, which made Xu Yi breathe a sigh of relief.

Still, one strike proved nothing, so he struck seven or eight more times.

[No. 1, what are you doing? It's already dead—are you desecrating a corpse?]
[Really desecrating it. Is No. 1 just venting?]
[Maybe the stench has hallucinogenic effects?]
[I think No. 1 discovered something inside the snake.]

Xu Yi was almost certain that the creature inside had no interest in leaving, even with the threat outside.

"Help me tell Keke that I'm fine and not to worry," he said to the camera. Su Keke could understand simple sentences. Once he established a shelter, he would teach her to read at night so she could interact with the audience and communicate through them when he was away.

After confirming via the live chat that Su Keke had received the message, he pulled out his chisel, as it was sharper than his stone axe. He sliced through the skin at the snake's neck, ready to begin. The skin hadn't started to rot yet, making it highly valuable. It could be used to make tents, raincoats, or even snake-skin backpacks. It was precisely because of its versatility that he was willing to take the risk.

"This skin is thick, and it’s not too hard to peel. Perhaps it's because the body is starting to decay," Xu Yi noted. He pulled the skin toward the tail, peeling it away in one go.

Exhausted, he finally got it off. "It's so heavy. This skin must weigh several dozen pounds." It was still coated with quite a bit of fat. "Although it reeks so badly that I’m about to vomit, I think it’s worth it. There’s a bit of water in this depression; it’s perfect for a quick wash."

As he dragged the skin into the puddle, he checked the chat. Many were updating him on Su Keke; she was tending to the fire, and no animals were nearby. Others were suggesting other parts of the snake he might want to collect.

"I don't know if this snake is venomous, so I think it's better not to risk touching its fangs," Xu Yi said. "Also, I suspect the creature that killed it is still inside, which is why I kept tapping it with the stick. In the wilderness, there are countless dangers. Sometimes you might die because of an inconspicuous little bug, or perhaps from bacteria invisible to the naked eye. You can call me a coward; I don't care."

After cleaning the skin, he rolled it up and carried it back. It still stank terribly.

"Daddy, what did you bring back?" Su Keke asked curiously as she saw him approaching with the smelly bundle.

"It's a snake skin. We can make a lot of things with it," Xu Yi explained, setting it down.

"Can we eat it?" Su Keke had eaten roasted snake skin before and remembered it being delicious and crispy.

"No, we can't eat this one. It's rotten. If we eat it, we'll get sick," Xu Yi refused.

The audience was stunned by Su Keke's question, and the chat went wild. However, Xu Yi was distracted by Su Keke's drone.

"A pink drone? Does the live streaming channel have a girly side too?"

As he spoke, he noticed the pink drone change its color. Clearly, the drone—or rather, the streaming platform—was responding to him.