Chapter 88: Encountering the Mutated Giant Python Once More

The Blood Serpent Orchid—said to prolong cellular life, grant eternal youth, the undying flower... If it had been in his previous life, Lu Chen would have scoffed at such news, dismissing it as a drunken fable concocted by over-imaginative humans. Yet, now, standing at the brink of an era of unprecedented change, he knew that not only animals but plants too were quietly undergoing strange transformations.

Anything was possible.

The hot spring valley within the Tiannan Mountain Reserve, and the bizarre kelp forest in the oceanic abyss, were living proof of this new reality.

He hadn't expected that deep within the primeval jungles of Madura, unknown mutations would also emerge.

Had he known, he would have ventured deeper into the forest to explore days ago. But this vast tropical wilderness spanned over a hundred million hectares, its mountains high, forests dense, and rivers tangled like a web. Without a precise location for the Blood Serpent Orchid, even following the river courses, it would be nearly impossible to find in a short time.

These humans, oblivious to the fact that a saltwater crocodile on the shore could understand their speech, naturally spoke without any hint of caution.

A few months ago, several biologists from the country of Merigan had ventured into a primitive tribe deep within the Madura jungle. By chance, they learned the legend of the Blood Serpent Orchid from a few native guides. At the time, they hadn’t believed it, merely collecting a few specimens to bring back. Yet, research revealed that the flowers of this plant did indeed possess remarkable properties: they could slow cellular aging and restore vitality to humans.

Now, the urgency to enter the jungle stemmed from the orchid’s unique growth cycle. It endured a long dormancy, with a flowering period of only a few short months. The season was nearly over; once the blossoms wilted, who knew when they might bloom again?

Saltwater crocodiles were long-lived creatures by nature. In the wild, barring accidents, they could live up to a hundred years. Moreover, Lu Chen was presently undergoing a mutation, which, in theory, would prolong his life even further. Thus, he had no particular interest in staving off aging or achieving eternal youth.

What intrigued him about the Blood Serpent Orchid was the cause behind its mutation.

In the past, he had missed uncovering the mysteries of the hot spring valley and the oceanic rift for various reasons. Now, he was determined not to let this opportunity slip by.

As he pondered, the large boat sailed across the wide river, entering a narrow bend—at its closest, only forty or fifty meters from where Lu Chen and several other crocodiles lay hidden in the jungle.

At that moment, a monkey with white tufts on its cheeks sniffed the air, its eyes suddenly wide with terror. It let out a series of rapid shrieks, "Chit-chit! Chit-chit!"

It immediately leapt into its owner's arms, shivering uncontrollably.

This little one was a white-throated capuchin, timid by nature and sharp of scent.

"Xiao Gang, it's all right, it's all right," said a man named Johnson, the boat’s captain, hurriedly patting his pet monkey to soothe it.

Yet, contrary to his expectations, the usual gentle pats did nothing to calm the creature. It trembled violently, refusing to poke its head out.

"Captain, what’s wrong with it?" a crew member asked curiously.

"Nothing. Maybe there’s danger on the shore, or perhaps some animal has just been killed," Johnson replied, cradling his pet and peering toward the riverbank some dozen meters away.

Tall reeds concealed the shore in lush greenery; nothing seemed amiss.

"Danger?" another crewman echoed, puzzled.

"This is virgin jungle—anything can happen, and any creature can become prey." Johnson’s gaze darkened. "Just two months ago, a group came hunting crocodiles and were all devoured by a man-eating croc. So from now on, you must follow my instructions precisely."

Damn it... the monkey must have caught the scent of fresh blood from a recent kill and was warning its master.

With this little creature aboard, if he approached the boat, it would be nearly impossible to avoid detection.

Lu Chen temporarily abandoned the idea of drawing near, deciding instead to follow from a distance.

The journey ahead might be fraught with danger, so he didn’t have the three other crocodiles accompany him. With a couple of low growls to his companions, he slipped silently beneath the water.

The boat continued upstream, winding through hundreds of miles before turning into a tributary. Even at a few hundred meters away, Lu Chen could sense the vibrations of the propeller ahead, so he wasn’t worried about losing their trail. However, at such a distance, coupled with the noisy rush of the river, he couldn’t make out the humans’ conversations aboard.

Had it been possible, Lu Chen would have preferred not to approach humans at all. He was eager to glean the Blood Serpent Orchid’s location from their chatter and arrive ahead of them. Yet, with the white-throated capuchin present, it was impossible to get close.

Lu Chen now considered killing the monkey at the first opportunity. Otherwise, he’d be stuck trailing behind the boat, forced to drink the gasoline-tainted water it left in its wake.

As night fell, the boat pressed on for another hundred miles along the winding river. Lu Chen had assumed they would stop to rest, but instead, the humans pushed forward through the night. After traveling upstream for hundreds of miles—not quickly, but steadily—he was left exhausted and ravenous once more.

Debating whether to go ashore for rest and food, he suddenly heard the monkey’s call from atop the boat.

Moments later, he saw the little creature leap to a thick tree branch and begin feasting on wild fruit.

The humans hadn’t noticed its absence and continued slowly upriver.

This little fellow was courting death!

Lu Chen hadn’t expected a chance to kill the monkey would present itself so soon. He swung his tail, changing direction.

He soon emerged among the reeds at the riverbank, his beastly eyes now tinged with caution.

In this thick, dark jungle, he caught the scent of another predator—the unmistakable musk of a python.

Soon after, he heard rustling noises a few hundred meters away.

The white-throated capuchin had sensed the predator too, and shrieked in terror before fleeing in a desperate scramble.

Lu Chen, following the upwind scent, quickly gave chase.

Two minutes later, he finally caught sight of the python.

It was over nine meters long, its body as thick as a barrel, and its black scales gleamed like steel in the moonlight.

Even from a hundred meters away, Lu Chen could sense the cold, lethal intent emanating from the serpent.

With its arrival, the once lively forest had fallen eerily silent.

This one had definitely mutated.

At first glance, Lu Chen could tell the python was different. It was a subtle feeling, but unmistakable.

No ordinary python could move so fast; this one pursued its prey with uncanny speed, almost as if it were flying low over the ground.

With a flicker, it vanished once more into the darkness.