Chapter 4, Hunting
Gulu gulu ... ...
I want to fill my stomach first
It sensed the scent of danger and discerned the identity of the potential hidden enemy from the familiar smell
A group of men and women on the ship mostly heard the loud noise, and they looked at each other in confusion, casting suspicious glances towards the source of the sound
The Blood Orchid, also known as the Immortal Flower, contains a chemical component that enables cells to surpass the limit of 56 times, thereby extending cell lifespan and breaking through limits
Jack's assistant Shan let out a cold snort and said to Johnson, "You said you could get us there safely"
Of course, there are exceptions; a certain black panther, feeling somewhat dazed from hunger, could no longer endure and ventured out of its lair
One by one, enormous bubbles emerged from the bottom of the water, rolling for a while before returning to calmness
"I am not sure," said Captain Bill Johnson, his expression grave. "It is now the rainy season, and the waterways will be more dangerous than usual."
After searching for half a day, it found no prey and had no choice but to pick a wild fruit from the tree, gnawing at it with a mix of anger and helplessness
Hiss—hiss—
In Xu Jing's view, the unique blood orchid in this world is highly likely to be the treasure that contains the most source points
Fortunately, the time he traveled through coincided with the blooming period of the blood orchid
The black panther perked up its ears, raised its head to cautiously survey its surroundings, and its gem-like yellow pupils gradually constricted, before it let out a low growl as if facing a formidable enemy
The flow of time in the two worlds is also different. After arriving here, Xu Jing received relevant information transmitted by the system
In the world where his human body resides, one night is equivalent to five days during the calamity of the giant python, thus he can stay here for five days
As Xu Jing traversed a damp forest, he felt that half of his body was submerged in water
During this season, food is rather difficult to find, as most animals are hiding in their dens, preferring to endure hunger rather than risk venturing out in search of sustenance
Xu Jing spat out his tongue, the lowered head of the snake gradually raised, emitting a chilling light from its vertical pupils, firmly locking onto the black panther
Of course, Xu Jing also has his advantages, the most important of which is that he is in the shadows, currently in the role of the hunter
Roar
A gust of wind arose behind the black panther, and a massive blood-red mouth lunged forward with the speed of lightning.
Xu Jing's current body is that of a green anaconda. Even until its death, a green anaconda continues to grow. The reason it has reached its current size is due to having consumed the blood orchid.
"What is that thing?" Jack Byron, the doctor of the expedition team, asked with wide eyes.
To obtain the source points, it is necessary to strengthen the current serpent form in this world, so that when departing, the physical body can be transformed into a greater number of source points.
After sliding forward for a while, the entire body of the snake sank into the river channel, producing a tremendous sound
As the sky darkened, a light drizzle began to fall, and looking at the surrounding rainforest that seemed to devour anyone who entered, the members of the expedition team suddenly felt a sense of unease.
Moreover, he just misled the black panther with his long snake tail, causing the opponent to make an erroneous judgment about the position; as long as he gets a little closer...
Alright, do not overthink it, we will definitely arrive safely
He did not act rashly, even though he possessed strength far exceeding that of a black panther. However, his physical resilience was not advantageous, as he could not withstand the opponent's claws and teeth. Moreover, this was a jungle black panther, whose speed and agility were not inferior to his own.
The black panther turned in terror and jumped back, but it was of no use; its upper body was firmly bitten by Xu Jing. Then, the snake's body coiled around it, accompanied by the cracking sound of bones, and its struggles grew weaker, gradually fading into silence
A cold gleam flickered in his eyes as he swam to the shore, slowly climbing up and entering the rainforest
The air is filled with a strong scent, which is the female hormones emitted by the mother snake, serving as a signal for courtship
The movie "Anaconda 2" has been watched by Xu Jing, who is also well aware of the effects of the blood orchid
Damn it! Such a strong instinct! This cannot go on like this
At that moment, the jungle, which had been filled with the sounds of insects, suddenly fell into a profound silence, leaving only a strange, faint rustling sound, as if something was rubbing against the fallen leaves accumulated on the ground
The giant pythons in the entire Borneo tropical rainforest can sense this signal through their sense of smell
Xu Jing was swimming underwater, and in his perception, each person on the boat appeared like bright, shining light bulbs.
Thud
Jack is the least eager to encounter problems. As the leader of the exploration technology team, he has endured significant pressure this time in order to find the blood orchid for the company
Whoosh
Xu Jing suddenly stopped. Although he had transformed into a python, his thoughts and soul remained human. The thought of eating a person filled him with a nauseating feeling that made it hard to swallow.
He is not in a hurry to mate; rather, he knows that the blood orchid is located right above the cliff that serves as the mating ground for the group of pythons
Xu Jing continuously spat out the letter, striving to suppress the instinctive urges that surged within his body, and then quickly slithered in a certain direction.
Since he could not understand it, Xu Jing decided not to think any further. His purpose for crossing over was very clear: to obtain the source point
To obtain the maximum source, the fastest way is to consume a large quantity of blood orchids. Anything that is ingested, regardless of whether it is fully digested, will be transformed into the source upon departure.
His body had not been adequately nourished for several days, and upon discovering this group of expedition members, it was as if he had seen a feast of the most delicious food.
The black panther maintained a combat stance, slowly retreating while occasionally growling, conveying a sense of threat to the unseen enemy in the darkness
Indeed. Johnson nodded, stating firmly: "However, safety does not equate to speed; if the situation is not right, I will change the course."
The instinct from his body filled him with immense excitement, prompting him to impulsively follow the ship.
The regression is unrestricted. Xu Jing had just attempted it, but with his current physique, directly opting for regression would only yield 83 points of origin, which is not even enough to cover the costs. Therefore, when the system inquired whether he was certain about the regression, he chose to decline.
However, this time it was somewhat reluctant to take risks; consecutive days of hunger had severely diminished its physical strength, and even its footsteps were no longer as nimble as before
The blood orchid has extended his lifespan; the longer he lives, the larger his body grows, and naturally, his strength increases.
At this moment, a ship happened to pass by, making its way upstream along the river.
The structural unit of life is the cell, and each cell will rapidly secrete toxins and lead to necrosis after self-replicating 56 times. This is known as the "Hayflick limit," and it is also the reason why all species will periodically face extinction.
In its memory, there had been a similar encounter somewhere, but on that occasion, it not only escaped but ultimately turned around and hunted down the opponent
During the rainy season, continuous heavy rainfall has caused the river water to rise dramatically, submerging the entire riverbank