Descendants of the False Gods

Chapter 13: Escape from Death (6)

Jili led the group through the valley. He was a talkative and cheerful person, enthusiastically introducing the sights along the way.

He explained that the pond was formed by mountain springs converging and that the farmland around the hills was cultivated by them.

Upon arriving at a massive cave, he turned to the group and said, “Welcome to our stronghold! Please, come inside!”

Inside the cave, houses had been built. Jili introduced them, saying, “There are many of us in the stronghold, and over time, it became inconvenient. So, I had people build these houses. The main hall in the center is larger and serves as a place for dining and meetings. On both sides of the main hall are side rooms, with a corridor in between. Inside, we built fifty to sixty compartments, many of which are now vacant. If you are willing, you can stay here for a few days.”

Yan Tie responded politely, “This valley is picturesque, with stunning scenery. If we had the time, we would certainly stay for a few days. However, since we have children with us, it’s not convenient to remain outside for long. We still wish to return to our village as soon as possible and settle the children first.”

Jili understood that these were mere pleasantries, and that the other party had no intention of staying. However, hearing such words was still pleasing, so he ordered his men to prepare a meal.

He then said to the Yan brothers, “It’s already close to noon. I’ll have a simple meal arranged. You can eat first, and afterward, I’ll take you to the storeroom to see if there’s anything you need.”

Yan Tie cupped his hands in gratitude on behalf of everyone.

Lunch turned out to be a feast, consisting of local mountain produce. The four of them had gone days without a proper meal and wasted no time devouring the food, ignoring any pretense of etiquette.

During the meal, the children, drawn by the aroma, began crying again, causing chaos among the group. Jili quickly ordered porridge to be cooked, and only after feeding the little ones did peace return.

After eating their fill and sipping some mountain tea, they rested briefly before Jili led them to the storeroom. They gathered tents, sleeping bags, cooking utensils, rice, and other mountain goods. There was so much that they had to fetch shoulder poles and baskets to carry everything. Jili even provided them with spare clothes. As they departed, the three Yan brothers carried their loads with the children settled in the baskets, while the nanny carried a large bundle of clothing.

Jili escorted them to the edge of the valley. Just before leaving, Yan Bo glanced around to ensure no one else was present and then said to Jili, “Brother Jili, you seem like an honest man, so I won’t hold back my words. Your valley is well-hidden, and our departure today should remain unknown to outsiders. But about what happened this morning—you should be cautious.”

This was a parting warning in return for their hospitality. Jili seemed like a good person, and Yan Bo didn’t want him to fall into danger.

Without elaborating further, Yan Bo turned to Yan Tie and said, “Brother, let’s go.”

Jili was momentarily stunned. By the time he regained his senses, the group was already far away. He shouted, “Take care on the road! Until we meet again!”

The Yan brothers waved back and continued on their journey.

Leaving the stronghold, they followed the river eastward along the border between the provinces. With their supplies replenished, the journey, though arduous, went smoothly.

By the afternoon of the fifth day after leaving the stronghold, they reached the outskirts of Zhou County. Ahead lay the southernmost protrusion of Chen County. Following the river would lead them directly into Chen County, while heading another hundred miles south along the border would bring them to the meeting point of Zhou, Zheng, and Chen Counties. The protrusion of Chen County was the tail end of a mountain range, covered in rolling hills. Since the mountains were not particularly high, the group decided to take a shortcut by crossing straight over them, hoping to return to Yan Village a few days earlier.

During the day, they successfully crossed two hills. At night, they set up camp halfway up a mountain. They built a bonfire and set up two tents—one for the nanny and children, who didn’t take night watch duty, and another for the two brothers, who took turns standing guard.

Yan Bo was on watch at dawn. A faint mist hung in the air, formed by the condensation of mountain humidity overnight.

Suddenly, a flock of birds took flight in alarm, their wings flapping noisily. Yan Bo’s scalp tingled with unease, but he wasn’t sure what was happening. He didn’t wake the others immediately but instead moved closer to the tent, drawing his crossbow and straight blade, ready for any unexpected danger.

After a while, when nothing seemed amiss, he was about to relax when the trees ahead began to shake. Something was coming down the mountain, crashing through the branches.

A landslide? No, the movement was too small for that. A falling boulder? Possible, but uncertain.

Yan Bo quickly shouted toward the tent, waking the others. Yan Tie was the first to grab his blade and rush out, followed closely by Yan Yu, barely having fastened his clothes.

Yan Bo hurriedly instructed Yan Yu to help the nanny evacuate the children. The shaking of the trees gradually subsided, but the air carried a faintly metallic scent. Then, a massive shadow emerged in the forest.

Suddenly, between the branches five or six meters off the ground, a head the size of a washbasin poked out—it was a snake’s head, flicking its tongue ominously.

The snake’s body gradually came into view, coiling around the tree trunk. It was as thick as the tree itself, at least ten meters long when fully extended. Most strikingly, it had two enormous bird-like claws near the front of its body.

A mutated beast! A bird-clawed serpent, commonly known as a ‘Chicken-Footed Snake.’ These creatures mutate after consuming birds, sometimes developing wings or claws. More commonly, they grow a cockscomb, earning the name ‘Cockscomb Snake.’

This type of snake was notorious for the fine hairs growing between its scales, which became encrusted with hardened dirt due to its secreted mucus, forming an almost impenetrable armor. It was said that the mythical Qilin armor of the Divine Clan was made from the shed skins of such creatures.

Encountering a snake as thick as a water barrel in these mountains was truly a stroke of misfortune. Although its size suggested it was non-venomous, its massive body, tough scales, and powerful claws made escaping its jaws a near-impossible task.

Yan Tie turned to Yan Yu and shouted, “Take the women and children down the mountain! If we don’t come down by midday, leave immediately!”

Yan Yu hesitated for a moment but then steeled himself, gathering the children into a shoulder basket and calling the nanny to flee downhill.

The Chicken-Footed Snake didn’t seem to mind its prey escaping. Instead, it suddenly launched sideways, attempting to bypass the two brothers and pounce on the nanny and the children.

Yan Tie swiftly swung his blade, striking at the snake’s neck. However, despite using all his strength, he only managed to cut off two scales, leaving a faint white mark on the lowest scale.

The snake recoiled, coiling around the tree and hissing menacingly at Yan Tie, as if saying, ‘You dare interfere? I’ll eat you instead!’

Yan Tie felt his arms go numb from the impact. He hadn’t expected the snake’s skin to be this tough. With the enemy before him, he readied his stance, gripping his blade firmly. Yan Bo, realizing that his strength alone wouldn’t be enough, positioned himself strategically, loading his crossbow.

The battle against the monstrous serpent had just begun.