Chapter 8: The Yellow Sparrow Awaits

The tranquil bamboo grove became incredibly noisy, with the sound of bamboo poles breaking echoing everywhere. The bamboo fell, disrupting the orderly grove and causing significant trouble for the movements of the three individuals

He has envied his grandfather's ability to identify faults by sound since he was young. To this end, he practiced his hearing skills intensively for a period of time, and unexpectedly, this skill came in handy here before he even got home

One person shouted: "It's done, hold on tight!"

The bone-anchoring nails are extremely sharp, and the force with which they are shot is immense; however, they are ultimately very small. Given the size of the python, if they do not hit a vital spot, the bone-anchoring nails will only serve to provoke the opponent and cannot truly inflict any damage

The three individuals gradually gained the upper hand, yet Chang Ming remained completely unperturbed. He concealed himself behind a tree, gazing intently in that direction, his eyes occasionally drifting to several nearby locations.

A trace of a cold smile lingered at the corner of his mouth, a chilling smile that instilled fear in those who beheld it

Chang Ming tore off the clothing from his back and applied medicine to himself. Indeed, it was good medicine; the areas he had treated immediately felt a wave of coolness. The burn on his back was extensive, and there were many places he could not reach, but Chang Ming simply ignored it. This lingering pain was just what he needed to ignite his anger and fighting spirit

Closer, even closer

With a swift sound, a trap was suddenly triggered in the place where the golden bamboo python had just slithered by

He steadied himself, using a bamboo pole and the undulations of the terrain to conceal his figure, cautiously lurking forward. Through the gaps in the bamboo leaves, he saw a streak of earthy yellow pass by, and in the next moment, he witnessed the golden bamboo python with his own eyes, startling him greatly

Therefore, before proceeding, Changming must make adequate preparations.

Yes, that's the place

The three individuals quietly trailing behind had already made their preparations, ready to ambush the golden bamboo python. Coincidentally, the person holding the bone-anchoring nail was raising the crossbow, aiming at the python's eyes. Suddenly startled, the golden bamboo python jumped, causing him to be taken aback; his hand trembled, and the bone-anchoring nail was shot out, piercing into the skin of the giant and the library python

Now, everything is indeed unfolding in the direction he had planned, and a faint smile crossed Chang Ming's lips

Indeed, haha

Another person laughed and said: "Indeed, the town's bone nail is not so easy to deal with. Once it is driven into the body, it will wander within, damaging the bodily tissues... Not to mention this, such a large python is also not easy to handle"

This time, the golden bamboo python was clearly struck hard; its hissing sound weakened somewhat, and the movements of its coiling and striking became increasingly feeble

hiss

After accomplishing all of this, Chang Ming lay in wait, patiently awaiting the moment.

Chang Ming observed carefully for a while, and suddenly a bold idea emerged in his mind

For the past month, he has come to Jinzhu Forest every day, and with the guidance of the villagers, he has become extremely familiar with the terrain here

In retrospect, the reason these marks encountered issues is precisely because the golden bamboo python had passed by

Once again, the sound of a snake echoed, causing a buzzing sensation in Chang Ming's mind. Shaking his head, he roughly determined the location of the golden bamboo python.

In a critical moment, with a few sharp sounds, several bone nails were shot out in succession, just as the golden bamboo python was stretching its body. All these long nails were driven into its vital point.

Indeed, the bone nail was driven into the skin of the giant python, inciting its fury even more! It turned its head and saw the three individuals stealthily following behind. With a swift coil and a spring, it launched an attack without hesitation

His expression was surprisingly calm, and his movements were swift, agile, and efficient, as if in his mind, a thread had already been strung together, making him acutely aware of what he should do and how to do it

In his childhood, there was a mountain behind the factory, and Changming often went up the mountain to play. At that time, together with his friends, he learned how to set traps and ambush small prey without any formal instruction, catching various creatures such as rabbits, birds, and insects.

Its tail swung violently, striking a person in the chest. The person let out a muffled groan and flew backward, breaking two bamboo poles before finally landing and groaning.

Is it clever? Of course not

It seems that during this period, the villagers go to the golden bamboo forest every morning to cut bamboo, yet they have never seen this golden bamboo python. This is partly due to their timing being misaligned with its activity periods, and partly because of its unique mode of movement

Indeed, the call of the golden bamboo python can be quite disconcerting. Fortunately, I had previously sprinkled a potion along its path, which weakened its abilities. Otherwise, just the sound alone would be very difficult to handle

His actions were evidently very successful, as he never encountered those few individuals from beginning to end. Whenever he caught a glimpse of their movements, Chang Ming would quickly avoid them.

At that moment, if those people could see his expression, they would surely be taken aback.

Another minute passed, and the golden bamboo python let out a long hiss. The sound grew fainter, and finally, its body relaxed and collapsed onto the ground

A few days ago, when I came to the bamboo forest with the villagers, I occasionally noticed issues with the marks made. They were not significant problems, just minor displacements or fractures like those encountered previously. The villagers found it strange, but since it did not affect the work, they did not investigate further

His movements were extremely cautious; on one hand, he had to avoid the golden bamboo python, and on the other, he needed to be careful to steer clear of those few individuals. To achieve this, he used bamboo branches to adorn his head and body, making himself appear like a disheveled piece of leftover bamboo.

In a fierce battle, they all sustained some injuries, each covered in bloodstains. The one who was thrown out was the most severely injured, limping slightly as he walked. Nevertheless, their spirits remained high. Having successfully killed the Golden Bamboo Python, the thought of the benefits that the exotic beast's crystal core and body could bring filled them with joy.

Moreover, each time this golden bamboo python slithers a certain distance, it emits a hissing sound, sending out invisible waves that sweep across the surroundings

The searing pain still lingered in his back. Chang Ming endured it as he took out a small bamboo tube from his pocket—this was the external medicine that Lao Ping had given him earlier. He had kept it on him just in case, never expecting it would come in handy so soon

"Without any ability, what can be called a strange beast?"

With these memories, Changming outlined a general area in his mind. It was unclear when the golden bamboo python had come here or how long it had stayed, but while it was in the bamboo forest, it moved within this kind of area, rarely venturing far.

The swaying bamboo branches obscured Chang Ming's view of the direction, so he simply closed his eyes and listened to the sounds around him

Although it was the first time catching a snake, and even more so a snake of this size, Chang Ming already had a clear understanding in his mind about where to set the traps based on the habits of the prey, how to set them, and whether to restrain or capture it alive.

The collaboration among these three individuals is not particularly effective, which has disrupted their formation. The other two have also sustained some injuries, and the situation has suddenly become chaotic

He heard very clearly that the extremely faint, slippery sound was produced by the golden bamboo python as it slithered; the effort to restrain themselves, yet inevitably stepping on some dry branches, produced the crisp sounds made by the three individuals from the Qi family

There are three people on the other side, armed with a machine gun and a crossbow. If Changming were to approach like this, he would surely be walking to his death

They chatted and laughed as they casually walked towards the golden bamboo python, preparing to dispose of the body

If those few individuals were to encounter Chang Ming now, they would undoubtedly be shocked, and either feel a chill of fear or resolutely decide to eliminate him without regard for the valuable Golden Bamboo Python. Unfortunately, in their eyes, the only thing that matters is the expensive crystal core of the Golden Bamboo Python; to them, Chang Ming is merely an inconspicuous lackey, someone they could easily dispose of at any moment.

Although it is extremely large, its movements are surprisingly agile. It seems to thrive in the bamboo forest, where it feels right at home. It skillfully climbs among the bamboo poles and the ground, and not even the thinnest bamboo branch can be broken by it

Upon achieving their goal, joy appeared on their faces. Just as they were about to speak, they suddenly saw a flash before their eyes; a shadow darted past, and then the crystal core vanished!

He submerged to the edge of the bamboo grove, where there was a hillside covered with many vines, thin yet resilient. Changming took out the wrench he carried with him, unscrewed another back cover, and pulled out a small knife. He carefully cut down some bamboo branches and gathered many vines, skillfully crafting several traps before submerging back into the area frequented by the golden bamboo python

The three let out a sigh of relief, and one of them laughed, saying: "The shopkeeper is indeed wise, having prepared this bone-piercing crossbow."

After observing for a while, Chang Ming formulated some plans in his mind and quietly left the place

The three individuals engaged in a fierce battle with the golden bamboo python. They had long been well-prepared; the ambush was merely a fail-safe strategy. Even in a direct confrontation, they were confident they could handle their opponent. They were unaware of why the golden bamboo python had suddenly been startled, but when the moment arrived, they had no choice but to proceed.

Waves of sound surged outward, causing a dizzying sensation for Chang Ming. He furrowed his brows tightly, forcing himself to remain calm, determined to see everything clearly

Surprise flashed in the eyes of the three. The person who fell to the ground coughed twice, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and stood up. They intensified their actions, and before long, the Golden Bamboo Python suffered a series of heavy blows, its expression noticeably weakened

Having made a rough mark, Changming began to take action

He thought with a slight cold smile, once you miss that crystal core, you will know what regret truly means

This trap is very small and cannot harm the enormous python at all, but it has a sharp protrusion on top. When the golden bamboo python slides over it, this protrusion grazes its skin, causing a sharp sting.

Chang Ming hid to the side, watching events unfold in the direction he had imagined, and could not help but reveal a cold smile

The python emitted a sharp hiss and suddenly sprang up!

In contrast, the golden bamboo python seems to be born for the bamboo forest; as long as there is bamboo in the environment, its movements remain as usual. However, for some unknown reason, its actions gradually weakened, and the opponent took the opportunity to strike it several times in succession. The bright red blood of the snake splattered on the bamboo leaves, further provoking the python's ferocity, causing it to attack while continuously howling wildly

The golden bamboo python emitted a series of increasingly close hisses

Previously, he had seen some pictures of golden pythons online and thought that this golden bamboo python should be similar to those, with a thickness comparable to that of a bowl. Unexpectedly, the size of this golden bamboo python was extremely astonishing, with its thickest part comparable to that of a water bucket

He closed his eyes and silently contemplated in his heart

He had long observed his surroundings and determined that the location he had just identified was indeed the best ambush point. This was true for him as well as for the three individuals. Even if they did not miss their shot, he would provoke the golden bamboo python to discover them and launch an attack against them

He estimated correctly; they indeed came towards the direction where he was hiding, completely unaware of his presence

Hiss—!

The golden bamboo python has a massive body, yet its eyes are disproportionately small. Not only are they small, but they are also squinted into a line. Regardless of the direction it moves, its head remains pointed straight ahead, without glancing to the left or right

One person took out a sharp knife and swiftly cut open the giant python's head, extracting a translucent crystal the size of a baby's fist.

Is it possible that the vision of this golden bamboo python is weak, and it does not use its eyes to observe the surrounding environment? It seems that the timing of its hissing has a certain pattern; could it be that, like bats, it uses sound waves to perceive its surroundings?

These three individuals had prepared for a long time. Although there were some initial issues, they ultimately succeeded in killing the golden bamboo python