NOVEL NEXT Ch. 2
Chapter 2: King Rat Snake
After Mo Lin began expanding its range of activity, it soon encountered some entirely new species.
Watching the few fawns before its eyes, hidden in the grass, Mo Lin’s gaze revealed a trace of longing.
If it could eat a fawn, it would definitely gain tremendous benefits.
But very soon Mo Lin calmed down.
Although it was a pity, as a non-venomous snake, especially a grass snake like itself, hunting a deer—even a young fawn—was absolutely impossible.
Using the snake’s best skill, the “Constriction” move?
Then it would either end up coiling around the fawn’s legs, becoming a so-called “useless snake husband”; or else be shaken off by the panicked fawn and stomped half to death in one kick.
So Mo Lin only regretted it for a moment before decisively giving up the thought of treating the fawn as a meal.
As the saying went, one bite could not make one fat.
With its talent of growing stronger through devouring, Mo Lin believed that one day it would surely get to enjoy the taste of a juicy deer leg.
“Hiss\~ hiss\~”
After adding the fawn to its shopping cart, Mo Lin set off again, searching for prey that it could check out on the spot.
......
The mountains of Yongzhou indeed had a rich diversity of species.
In less than half a day, Mo Lin had already captured one squirrel and two field mice, and even snacked on some termites as a refreshing dessert.
After repeated meals, Mo Lin had already reached the strongest level among grass snakes.
【Mo Lin】
【Strength: 20】
【Speed: 20】
【Agility: 20】
【Defense: 20】
【Demonic Power: 0】
【Abilities: Devour, Shedding】
Its skin began to turn dry, its eyes grew dull yellow, and its body felt somewhat tight, as though it was bound by its own skin.
Mo Lin knew this was the sign that it was about to shed.
Once it shed, its body should undergo some evolution, and its length would certainly increase.
However, shedding for a snake was not a simple process.
Not only could crises occur during shedding, but the process itself would also bring a degree of pain.
Therefore, upon realizing it was about to shed, Mo Lin decided to return to the spring where it had crossed over, to complete this transformation in a relatively safe area.
“Hiss\~”
Yet just as Mo Lin’s dry skin seemed to sense the moisture carried by the wind from the spring, a sudden change occurred!
Out of the corner of its eye, Mo Lin glimpsed another slender snake charging at it from a few meters away at such speed that it nearly couldn’t react in time!
Fortunately, ever since realizing it was about to shed, Mo Lin had been paying close attention to the rustles and movements around it.
Thus, when it noticed the anomaly from the corner of its eye, Mo Lin instantly sprang aside, dodging the snake’s entanglement.
Only after evading the strike did Mo Lin finally have time to recognize what kind of creature had attacked it.
And when it saw—
“Hiss!”
This hiss was not Mo Lin, the grass snake, flicking its tongue.
Rather, it was Mo Lin gasping in shock the moment it recognized the attacker.
Before it, coiling slowly after its failed sneak attack, was a snake nearly two meters long, covered in black scales with rings of yellow diagonal stripes.
Its head was narrow and pointed, and on its raised forehead, Mo Lin could clearly see several black patterns crookedly pieced together into the character “王” (King).
“King Rat Snake!”
“Hiss\~ hiss\~”
Indeed, the one that had just ambushed Mo Lin was none other than the snake renowned as the “King of a Hundred Snakes”—the King Rat Snake!
In nature, some venomous snakes, relying on their deadly venom, could prey on large animals despite their small size.
If Mo Lin had venom, it would not have had to watch that fawn escape earlier.
But even these venomous snakes that could fell large prey had a natural nemesis—the King Rat Snake, named for the prominent “King” mark on its forehead, scientifically known as the Banded Krait.
King Rat Snakes were fierce in temperament, swift in movement, and possessed a strong territorial instinct.
If they discovered another snake within their domain, they would immediately attack.
Though like grass snakes, King Rat Snakes were non-venomous, they were immune to most snake venoms.
Thus, most venomous snakes, when facing a King Rat Snake, would turn and flee.
This gave rise to the saying: “Within one li, the King Rat Snake reigns; within ten li, no venomous snake remains.”
That it had ambushed Mo Lin now was clearly because Mo Lin had inadvertently trespassed into its territory.
With such a strong territorial instinct, the King Rat Snake naturally would not spare a mere grass snake like Mo Lin—trespassing into its land must be paid with life.
“Hiss\~”
The two-meter-long King Rat Snake before it clearly had no intention of letting Mo Lin go.
It slithered around Mo Lin, ready at any moment to bare its sharp fangs.
Mo Lin’s eyes were full of vigilance.
Although the King Rat Snake, like itself, was non-venomous, as a snake that preyed on venomous snakes, in terms of size, strength, and speed, Mo Lin was undoubtedly at a disadvantage.
If it tangled with the King Rat Snake, given the latter’s longer body, Mo Lin would hardly be able to gain any advantage.
A great crisis!
This was the first true danger Mo Lin had faced since crossing into this world.
It couldn’t help but regret secretly—it should have stayed longer at the spring to grow stronger.
To bump into a King Rat Snake like this was truly a calamity without cause.
“Hiss\~”
“Boss, have mercy, I’m just passing through. Let me go and I promise I’ll never trespass here again.”
Mo Lin chanted silently in its heart while slowly trying to retreat.
But the King Rat Snake, which had already marked Mo Lin as an eyesore, would not be swayed so easily.
Seeing its prey show weakness only inflated its arrogance, and it lunged at Mo Lin once more.
“Damn it! You still won’t let me go?!”
Realizing that even after yielding, the King Rat Snake wouldn’t spare it, Mo Lin grew fierce:
“I’ve already been reborn—just living until now is already a profit. If you want my life, then you’ll have to put yours on the table too!”
With that thought, Mo Lin no longer hesitated.
Instead of retreating, it advanced, charging straight toward the King Rat Snake.
The King Rat Snake hadn’t expected its “prey,” which had just been trying to flee, to suddenly act so boldly.
In that moment of hesitation, Mo Lin rushed right in front of it.
But soon the King Rat Snake grew furious.
It, the “King of a Hundred Snakes,” being challenged by a mere grass snake?
It straightened its body, its head darting toward Mo Lin.
Mo Lin knew full well that if it got bitten, with the King Rat Snake’s bite force, its little life would end here.
It absolutely could not be bitten!
“Hiss!”
Just as the two snakes were about to clash, their mouths wide open, Mo Lin could already see the glinting fangs of the King Rat Snake under the sunlight—
When suddenly, its tail, closer to the ground, struck the earth hard.
In that critical instant, it forcibly twisted its body aside, dodging the King Rat Snake’s bite.
At the same time, leveraging the rebound force, Mo Lin’s head lunged straight toward the King Rat Snake’s vital spot—its seventh inch!
Although Mo Lin had said that just surviving a few more days was already profit, it was not foolish enough to waste its life so recklessly.
From the moment it had charged the King Rat Snake, Mo Lin had already formulated a plan.
If there was one single advantage it had against the mighty King Rat Snake, it was this—Mo Lin was a transmigrated snake, with human intelligence!
Its charge had looked reckless and fierce, but in truth, Mo Lin had deliberately left room, attacking only thirty percent and keeping seventy percent reserved, striking not with speed but with cunning.
Mo Lin understood that the King Rat Snake was vicious and merciless toward its own kind.
By provoking it, it could further enrage this low-intelligence foe.
And that was Mo Lin’s only chance!
Yes—what looked like a desperate fight to the death was actually a trap Mo Lin had set.
Its true aim was to use its tail’s strike at the crucial moment to fling itself toward the King Rat Snake’s seventh inch.
The seventh inch was the deadliest weakness of all snakes.
Once seized at the seventh inch, a snake’s head could no longer twist back to bite its enemy, and its heart lay nearby as well.
Although Mo Lin could not be certain exactly where this King Rat Snake’s heart was, the fact that it couldn’t bite back was enough for Mo Lin to stake everything.
And the result was gratifying.
With the advantage of intelligence, even though a grass snake was inferior in every aspect, Mo Lin still managed to clamp down with a precise bite right on the King Rat Snake’s seventh inch!