Alien Species Invasion? I Kill Them Back.

Chapter 82: Chapter 80: Giant Python Peak

Feng Ling immediately looked over.

They were currently located below Goddess Peak.

Given their relative positions, Giant Python Peak should be standing opposite Goddess Peak. At a distance of only a few hundred meters, it ought to be quite conspicuous, yet there was no sign of it now.

"The Maze wouldn’t turn a rock into a living python, would it?" Feng Ling muttered.

Li Qing said thoughtfully, "The Maze System won’t turn stone into a living thing, but it does extract textual elements for reference. Sanqing Mountain has long had legends of a giant python, so it’s very likely the Maze is using that story to guide the genetic mutation of its creatures."

"So you’re saying there might be a giant python here as big as a mountain peak?" Pei Xianjue exclaimed. "You’d probably need to call in an army to take care of a monster that size."

Li Qing shook his head. "Not necessarily. A legend is just a legend, after all. Genetic evolution can move infinitely closer in that direction, but it can’t be a one-hundred-percent match. Take the mythical Candle Dragon, for instance. When it opens its eyes, it’s day; when it closes them, it’s night. Its breath controls the four seasons. That kind of ability is physically impossible."

"Shouldn’t we find the safe house first and discuss this later?" Huangfu Miaomiao asked, looking around uneasily. "Daoist, do you know where the safe house is?"

"It shouldn’t be far." Li Qing said, surveying the area. "According to the game mechanics, the entrance to a Maze is relatively safe. There will be some smaller monsters nearby, as a warm-up for the players. Finding the safe house also means you’re getting closer to more dangerous monsters."

As if on cue, the moment he finished speaking, the Cat Spider lunged into a patch of grass and dragged out a second pika with human hands.

The pika let out a couple of squeaks, then quickly fell silent as the Cat Spider devoured it whole.

The Cat Owl let out a sharp screech and flapped its wings, flying to another pine tree. As if competing with the Cat Spider, it eagerly prepared for its own hunt.

"Can’t you keep them from running wild? We still don’t know what’s in this Maze. What if they attract other monsters?" Liang Zhou said, annoyed.

Feng Ling glanced at him. "So what if they do? Isn’t killing monsters the reason we came into the Maze?"

Liang Zhou looked disgusted. "Clearing a Maze requires a meticulous plan of action. Just winging it and taking it one step at a time will drag down the whole operation’s efficiency and waste supplies."

Feng Ling thought for a moment, then looked at Pei Xianjue. "How much did you pay for this bodyguard? He’s a real bargain—acts more like an Inspector than you do."

Pei Xianjue smiled, then turned to Liang Zhou. "Hero, right now we’re just a group of victims who accidentally stumbled into a Maze. It’s probably best not to make any unilateral decisions about what to do. If something goes wrong, it might not matter to you, but I’m the Inspector who’s going to have to write the report."

As she spoke, she took out a pinhole camera and pinned it to her collar. She then took out her phone and tinkered with it, linking the camera’s feed to the screen. Then, with an air of officiality, she began to speak.

"It is now 7:00 PM on June 1st. This is Pei Xianjue, Deputy Captain of the Yuquan City Inspectorate Division. I came to Sanqing Mountain on orders from my superiors to conduct a safety patrol, during which I discovered and accidentally entered a Maze. I am currently trapped in the Maze with Hunter Feng Ling, Hunter Liang Zhou, civilian Bao Changzhi, Maze Administrator Li Qing, and player Huangfu Miaomiao. We will now take proactive measures to escape the Maze."

She aimed the camera at each person’s face as she announced their name.

Li Qing turned away, looking very uncomfortable.

Feng Ling looked resigned. "Starting the recording already?"

Pei Xianjue grinned at her and waggled the phone. "If something happens, this will be my last will and testament."

Feng Ling had already noticed that Pei Xianjue’s phone was the same model as the new one Su Yuqing had given her.

Liang Zhou also had a phone like that, but Baozi, who was also a Card Holder, didn’t.

Su Yuqing had said that the first group to join the Hunter Alliance program numbered less than 100, so not every Card Holder was part of the Hunter Alliance.

Pei Xianjue’s recording made everyone more cautious, and they stopped speaking so freely.

Li Qing silently led the way.

Behind him were Feng Ling and Huangfu Miaomiao.

Pei Xianjue followed them.

Liang Zhou and Baozi brought up the rear.

The mountain path was treacherous. With no man-made steps or railings, their feet met only sharp stones or creeping thorns and weeds. The thick, swirling mist added to the feeling, creating the illusion that they were just walking in circles.

After about ten minutes, they finally found a mountain trail and heard the sound of trickling water.

The rock under Feng Ling’s feet gradually gave way to soil. The vegetation grew denser and the air turned humid. She suspected there might be a creek or a waterfall nearby.

They saw animal tracks on the path, and also faint shoeprints. ’But besides their group, how could there be any other humans on this mountain?’

Up ahead, Li Qing suddenly stopped for some reason.

"Why’d you stop?" Feng Ling asked.

"We’ve got mobs," Huangfu Miaomiao said, subtly glancing to the side of the path as she pulled a dagger from her inventory.

Feng Ling looked over as well.

Her eyesight was quite good now, and she immediately spotted a dozen or so Weasels lined up in the mist.

They were standing upright on their hind legs like people, front paws dangling, lined up one after another.

Li Qing slowly let out a breath and led the group forward.

The Weasels also began to walk forward, mimicking them.

When Li Qing stopped, the Weasels stopped too.

"What the hell..." Feng Ling was speechless. "What do they want?"

"They might be... a type of monster called a Yellow Demon," Li Qing said hesitantly. "*Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio* mentions them. They’re cat-sized, with large heads and pointed snouts. There are also folktales about Yellow Demons that like to mimic travelers in the mountains, then steal their luggage when they’re not looking."

Pei Xianjue said, "Interesting. I’ll get this on camera."

She adjusted the camera on her collar. Just then, Feng Ling’s Cat Spider and Cat Owl spotted the line of "Weasels" and pounced with lightning speed!

The Cat Spider killed one!

The Cat Owl swooped down, biting and grabbing two more!

The other "Weasels" scattered in terror—

Seeing them about to escape, Huangfu Miaomiao couldn’t resist. She rushed forward, transforming into a wisp of Ghost Shadow to envelop the slowest one!

A hand clutching a dagger emerged from the Ghost Shadow and stabbed deep into the little monster’s body!

A fatal blow!

Huangfu Miaomiao saw the notification for reward points and was thrilled. Such a small monster was actually worth 5 points!

To put that in perspective, back in the perilous underground caverns, killing a huge larva had only awarded her 2 points.

’Earning these 5 points was way too easy. The Maze is awesome!’

Huangfu Miaomiao thought gleefully.

"Hey! Aren’t you going to rein them in?!" Liang Zhou, at the back of the group, suddenly exploded, shouting at Feng Ling, who was watching the commotion with amusement. "This time it was just small monsters. What are you going to do when we run into a large one, or the Maze Master?! Are you just going to keep acting on a whim, with no discipline or planning?!"

Pei Xianjue started, "Hero..."

"Deputy Captain Pei!" Liang Zhou whirled around to face Pei Xianjue. "I agreed to be your escort because exploring a Maze is a meaningful endeavor. But I refuse to entrust my life to someone so completely irresponsible!"

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