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Dr. Chan's face turned pale as he asked in a trembling voice,"What do we do?" His hands fumbled around, searching for a stick to defend himself, but all he found were limp, useless vines.
Maverick didn't answer. His eyes remained fixed on the monster chief's movements. He leapt onto a branch and let out a few sharp commands before pointing at the two men and roaring,"Take them... away!"
A tall, gaunt skinless monster let out a sigh and stepped forward. He was much thinner than the leader, his skeletal frame resembling a flesh-stripped corpse. With clear reluctance, he grabbed Maverick and Dr. Chan, one in each arm, then dashed into the depths of the jungle with agile steps.
Their bodies were crushed against the creature's rigid ribs, pain shooting through them. Vines whipped across their faces like lashes, each one colder than the last, as if trying to drag them into the depths of hell.
In the shadows of the forest, movement stirred. In the distance, a flash of light cut through the gloom—sharp and metallic.
"What the hell is that?" Dr. Chan murmured.
More silver glints began appearing between the leaves. Mechanical serpents slithered out from the vines, their steel armor gleaming. Small jets of air hissed from the gaps in their plating as they moved swiftly and silently. At the tops of their heads, surveillance lenses blinked red, flickering like the cold eyes of death itself, searching for prey.
"They see us," Maverick muttered, his voice barely audible.
One of the mechanical snakes suddenly coiled its body, tightening like a loaded spring before launching forward like a spear. The air cracked with the force.
"Run!" Maverick couldn't stop himself from slapping the skinner monster's hollow stomach, urging him forward. The sensation of touching its clammy flesh made his skin crawl.
The creature clearly didn't appreciate the contact."Quit that, you idiot!"
Maverick didn't need an explanation. Dr. Chan was equally shaken."Kid, are you trying to get us killed?"
A sharp hiss sliced through the air.
The mechanical snake lunged like an arrow, its speed frighteningly fast—almost cutting through the atmosphere itself.
The skinner monster dodged just in time, ducking low, but the blade still carved a deep groove into his shoulder. A crimson stream gushed from the wound.
He twisted through the trees, weaving left and right, barely avoiding more strikes. After a few rounds, he managed to pull away from the mechanical snake.
Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the vines, and instinctively, the creature veered away, clearly unable to endure direct exposure. It dawned on Maverick—this was why they always moved within the wisteria-covered forest. The dense vines helped them hide, yet these mechanical snakes seemed designed specifically to hunt them.
As he processed this realization, his body suddenly dropped—his carrier was slowing down.
Within moments, another mechanical snake blocked their path. Its mouth opened wide, and a jet of fire exploded outward. Trees ignited, sending thick smoke surging toward them.
"They have flamethrowers!" Dr. Chan shrieked, his voice swallowed by the roar of the flames.
The skinner monster sprang upward, pulling them out of the fire's reach, but his movements were no longer as smooth. His breathing grew ragged, and his left leg twitched slightly.
"You... you're losing too much blood," Maverick said quietly."Can you put us down?"
"In your dreams! The boss... ordered me to guard you."
"That doesn't mean you have to carry us."
"You think I want to?! You two idiots combined weigh as much as a wild boar!" The creature gritted his teeth.
From ahead came a piercing shriek—followed by a scream.
"They've reached the front," Maverick muttered, his face darkening.
Two flashes of silver streaked through the vines, too fast to be anything but blurs. One snake wrapped itself in flames and surged toward them from the left, while the other lurked on the right, its steel jaws gaping open. A crimson glow built within its frame.
The creature abruptly halted, panting hard, staring at the two"burdens" he carried.
The firelight flickered in his eyes. He let out a low growl—less like speech, more like raw determination.
"Jump!" He roared before hurling both men into the undergrowth. Then he spun around, facing the oncoming blaze and metal.
Boom!
The mechanical snake exploded!
Shrapnel and shockwaves tore through his body. Blood splattered the burning forest as he was hurled through the air.
The fire cracked and burst, his scorched body tumbling to the ground, smoking. One arm twitched. Through the haze, the creature gasped his final breath, his gaze locked toward the sky. Then, his head dropped, heavy and lifeless.
Maverick crashed onto the earth, his skull slamming against a tree root. His ears rang like thunder. He scrambled up, inhaling the scent of charred vines—purple smoke swallowing the sky.
Dr. Chan clung to a scorched tree, his eyes bloodshot, lips trembling."He... he saved us."
No one spoke.
Dr. Chan steadied himself against the burnt trunk, dragging Maverick upright. He was about to check the creature's corpse when the deadly hiss of mechanical snakes returned.
"Head toward the upwind area!" Maverick glanced at the skinner monster's remains. Now was their best chance to flee—there was no time for mourning. Supporting each other, they pushed toward the thinner smoke under the wisteria canopy.
Suddenly, rustling came from the grass beside them.
Maverick froze and gestured for Dr. Chan to stay still. Dr. Chan's heel struck the ground, the sharp sound betraying his unease. Maverick ignored it, holding his breath as he carefully peeled back the foliage.
A shadow shifted.
Slowly, a dark, soot-covered head emerged from the smoke.
Maverick's muscles went rigid, fingers digging into the dirt.
That thing moved, revealing half its face…