Chapter 100 Madness

Chapter 100: Chapter 99: Madness

The crowd began to move. Some boarded the few boats and speedboats that had been confirmed safe, while others followed Chairman Wu, choosing to wade through the water to evacuate.

The night was as thick as ink. The beams from a few waterproof flashlights pierced the dense curtain of rain, casting faint pillars of light that barely illuminated the small patch of water ahead.

SPLASH!

Freezing rain continuously poured down their collars, stripping away their remaining body heat and leaving their teeth chattering. Within the group were capable Awakened like Lin Qianqian. They maintained a vigilant watch, ready for battle at a moment’s notice. However, the vast majority were ordinary survivors—the elderly, women, and children. Most carried hastily wrapped luggage made of tarps and plastic bags, holding the last of their worldly possessions. Their faces, washed pale by the rain, were etched with undisguised fury.

Surviving in the apocalypse was already difficult enough for ordinary people. Under the protection of the Awakened, they had finally managed to establish a makeshift sanctuary and even found boats to leave, catching a fleeting glimpse of hope for survival. Yet, all of this had been nearly destroyed by sinister and vicious means. The culprits were not monsters, but their fellow humans. A silent rage permeated the group.

Shortly after Han Ning and the others departed, the situation changed.

The waters where they had previously anchored their boats began to boil without warning. At first, there was only the sporadic BUBBLE of rising air. Then, the surface churned violently, as if countless cauldrons were boiling simultaneously beneath the depths. Dense HISSING sounds erupted from all directions. It started off quiet, but in the blink of an eye, it gathered into a spine-chilling cacophony that completely drowned out the pouring rain.

SPLASH! SPLASH! SPLASH!

One after another, snake-like monsters covered in slimy black scales burst from the water. They writhed their thick bodies, unhinging the massive maws on their flat, monkey-like faces to release endless hisses. Densely packed and writhing in endless layers, the monsters spread like an oil spill, covering the entire anchorage. The water surface was no longer water; it had transformed into a "floor" paved with slick, wet scales.

The Snake Monsters squeezed, coiled, and squirmed against one another, their scales grinding together with an ear-piercing RUSTLE. They frantically dipped their heads underwater before snapping them back up, flicking their forked tongues to taste the faint, lingering scent of royalty in the air. The source of the metallic tang of blood seemed to be right here, yet the king who emitted it had vanished.

"HISS!!"

As if enraged, the swarm’s hisses sharply escalated into utter chaos, churning the water violently. Right then, the water at the center of the anchorage suddenly caved in, forming a massive whirlpool. A gargantuan black silhouette slowly rose from its eye. Water cascaded off its body like a waterfall, revealing its hideous true form.

This was a Black Snake Monster far larger than its kin, measuring nearly eight meters in length. Two pairs of thick, muscle-bound arms grew from its shoulder blades. Each of its hands gripped a weapon resembling a blade, honed from the bones of an unknown creature. The colossal Snake Monster slowly turned its massive head, sweeping its slitted pupils over the few boats floating solitarily in the water.

"Hiss..."

A low hiss rolled from the depths of its throat, suppressing the clamor of all the other Snake Monsters.

"HISS! HISS! HISS!"

Having received a clear command, the initially chaotic swarm fell silent for a split second before erupting into an even more frenzied roar. The nearest sailboat was the first to suffer. Dozens of Black Snake Monsters lunged at it. They plastered their slimy bodies against the hull, their sharp fangs biting into the wood with manic fervor. A symphony of grating scrapes and splintering snaps echoed endlessly. The sturdy hull held firm; instead, many of their fangs shattered under the force. However, no matter how solid the ship was, it couldn’t withstand the tidal wave of the swarm forever.

And this was only the beginning. More Snake Monsters surged toward the other vessels in the anchorage. Catamarans, fishing boats, and even the relatively robust "Cheetah 40"... none were spared.

BANG! BOOM!

The cabin door of a medium-sized sailboat was smashed open by several exceptionally burly Black Snake Monsters. They swarmed inside, destroying furniture, smashing instruments, and shattering glass. The entire ship groaned under the immense strain of the swarm’s rampage, and its hull began to sink at a visible rate.

The four-armed Snake Monster Leader watched all of this with cold indifference. It casually swung its four massive Bone Blades, effortlessly cleaving an approaching assault boat in two.

"HISS!"

It let out another piercing hiss that sliced through the curtain of rain and echoed across the entire body of water. Following the command, the swarm was no longer content with merely destroying the ships. They began to spread beyond the anchorage, slithering toward Biyun Resort and the surrounding urban ruins.

Meanwhile, about a kilometer to the north.

The group had advanced in silence. Suddenly, Han Ning’s ears twitched. Golden light swirled in his eyes as he looked back over his shoulder.

"Hiss... Hiss..."

An incredibly faint hissing sound drifted through the rain, echoing vaguely from behind them. The noise was still far away, but the sheer density of it was enough to make one’s blood run cold.

"What’s wrong?" Chairman Wu’s expression changed.

"It’s the Black Snake Swarm. The sound is still distant, but the direction... is definitely toward where we anchored the boats earlier." Han Ning listened intently for a moment before saying in a grave tone, "They were lured in by the smell of blood and are gathering in those waters. We need to move faster!"

Han Ning’s words filled the crowd with growing unease.

"Quick, pick up the pace!" Chairman Wu urged in a hushed shout, afraid that his voice might carry to the distant swarm.

A commotion rippled through the crowd. Gritting their teeth and hauling their luggage, they frantically paddled their arms, swimming desperately toward the north. After advancing another hundred meters or so, the hissing behind them gradually faded into nothingness.

"They shouldn’t have caught up to us," Han Ning said, his tense nerves relaxing just a fraction after straining his ears to listen.

Chairman Wu heaved a sigh of relief, a hateful gleam flickering in his eyes. "Our Biyun Resort suffered disastrous losses this time. We were nearly completely wiped out. This grudge must be avenged. Sun Wuyan must die. Mr. Han, what’s your plan?"

"I was thinking the exact same thing." Han Ning reached into his inner pocket and pulled out the small glass bottle he had confiscated from the infiltrator. Inside flowed a few drops of viscous, red-black liquid that resembled glue. "They wanted to use the King’s Blood to lure the Black Snake Swarm to kill us," his tone was icy. "So, let’s give them a taste of what it’s like to be hunted by the swarm."

Chairman Wu’s expression shifted, but he quickly furrowed his brows again. "Sun Wuyan is incredibly powerful. Even though we eliminated two of his Hexagram Captains, he still has four left, along with dozens of Awakened subordinates depending on him. His forces are still massive. How should we coordinate with you?"

Han Ning replied, "Bring a few people with me to find Sun Wuyan’s stronghold.

"Once we confirm the target’s location, we’ll need a fast, spiritual Awakened to smear this King’s Blood along the way to lure the Black Snake Swarm over."