Chapter 405 - 197: Viper Snake Woman (3)

"It was a small misunderstanding, but it’s mostly been resolved," Tas Tuling said to Li Ziyu.

The Snake-men, who had turned back, slowed their pace upon seeing the Undead standing ahead. Some even stopped altogether, their faces filled with terror. Their posture screamed, ’If those Undead make a single move, I’m turning and running.’

Tas Tuling understood the Snake-men’s hesitation. Without waiting for them to approach, he took a step toward their leader, pointed at Li Ziyu, and announced loudly, "This is the Master of the Undead, the ruler of this land."

His suspicions confirmed, the lead Snake-man was stunned. He never imagined the master behind the Undead would be a Human. The other Snake-men were even more shocked, unable to comprehend how a Human could control the Undead. ’What right did he have? What power?’

But Tas Tuling’s introduction was so formal, his expression so grave, that the Snake-men had no choice but to believe his words.

’He’s a Human, not one of the Undead. This is good news. It would be difficult to reason with an Undead, but a Human... at least we can communicate with a Human. We don’t have to worry about him attacking us on sight. No wonder the Minotaur said the Master of the Undead wasn’t a bloodthirsty person.’

The lead Snake-man shuffled forward, placed a hand over his heart in a salute to Li Ziyu, and spoke with a solemn expression, "I, Zaliki, Clan Leader of the Senunet Tribe of the Viper Race, greet the noble Master of the Undead."

Li Ziyu nodded, but his eyes went to the Snake-men who remained in the distance, too afraid to approach. He pointed at them and asked, puzzled, "Why aren’t they coming over?"

The lead Snake-man glanced back, took a deep breath, and replied, "Respected Master of the Undead, they are intimidated by the majesty of your Warriors and dare not approach."

This strange, overly theatrical way of speaking made Li Ziyu uncomfortable. He tilted his head and asked, "Do you always talk like this?"

Zaliki froze for a moment, then shook his head in embarrassment. He had been speaking that way to be formal and polite. Doesn’t the Human Race value such etiquette? It was his first time meeting Li Ziyu, and he didn’t know his temperament. Fearing he might cause offense, he had deliberately used a formal tone, but it seemed to have had the opposite effect.

Li Ziyu shrugged. "You don’t have to talk to me like that. I’m not one for formalities. Just speak normally. Go on, call your tribesmen over. As long as you don’t attack me, the Undead won’t attack you. Relax, I have no reason to kill you."

Zaliki hesitated for a second before nodding to the Snake-man beside him. ’If I’m going to gamble, I might as well go all in. I can only hope the Master of the Undead is true to his word and won’t harm us Snake-men.’

Based on their conversation, though, he certainly didn’t seem like a bloodthirsty madman. He seemed like a genuine Human.

The signal was given again. The Snake-men who had halted in their tracks slowly and hesitantly returned, their eyes constantly darting toward the nearby Undead, their hearts filled with anxiety.

Li Ziyu, meanwhile, curiously observed the returning Snake-men. The ones who had fled earlier were women, elders, and children. He now realized there was a huge difference between the males and females of this Viper Race. The men seemed not to have fully evolved, retaining long snake tails, while the women looked almost completely Human.

’So I finally get to see a Snake Woman. Hmm, not bad! They’re beautiful!’

The Snake Women of the Senunet Tribe came in two skin tones: a light brown and a pale white.

They had the classic v-shaped faces often seen on internet models. Each one had a slender figure, especially their waists, which looked like you could circle them with a single hand. They swayed and twisted as they walked—not intentionally, of course. It was a lingering trait of the Snake-men. That natural sway, combined with their long legs... TSK TSK TSK. ’In my past life,’ Li Ziyu thought, ’they’d definitely be internet celebrities, famous all over the web.’

The light-brown-skinned Snake Women generally had short hair, giving them a cool, wild look. The pale-skinned ones, however, had long, waist-length hair streaked with black and chestnut, making them look fiery and alluring.

At first glance, they looked just like Humans, but a closer look revealed a key difference: the Snake Women still had the eyes of a serpent, with vertical pupils.