Chapter 26: The Jade-Scaled Snake Egg

A black stream of light descended onto the roof of the skyscraper, revealing a human figure clad in a pitch-black combat suit.

The figure was neither tall nor particularly brawny, yet the three martial artists—the bald man and his companions—felt their pupils contract, followed by an irrepressible surge of excitement and hope.

A human? Flying? And flying so recklessly in a city like Sector 003, a veritable stronghold for monsters?

At the very least, he had to be a Wargod-level spirit reader; a mere War-General-level spirit reader wouldn't be so bold! They were saved! The three of them thought, their hearts pounding with ecstasy.

As for a peerless powerhouse beyond the Wargod level, the trio didn't even dare to imagine such a thing; such entities rarely appeared in the wilderness.

Why?

Ever since the successful development of high-frequency laser cannons in March 2021, and the subsequent elimination of over a dozen S-class monsters and two SS-class monsters, the king-level monsters of the land had reached a tacit understanding of non-aggression with humanity, which held until this day, August 15, 2056. The king-level monsters feared being locked onto and targeted by the high-frequency laser cannons should they surface, while humanity feared that if pushed too far, the king-level monsters would go mad and trigger a beast tide to assault the base cities. Both sides held mutual reservations.

There were no such constraints or tacit agreements between martial artists below the level of Council Members and monsters below the king level. They could kill one another freely. However, if a king-level monster or a Council Member-level powerhouse were to personally intervene and carry out large-scale slaughter, that would be a violation of the rules.

Consequently, most Council Member-level powerhouses spent their time in base cities cultivating, enjoying their status, and guarding their sectors, rarely appearing in the wilderness. Most king-level monsters, meanwhile, would hole up in deep mountains or hidden lairs to cultivate or sleep.

The Jade-Scaled Python let out a deafening hiss and adopted a defensive posture. Its instincts warned it that the pitch-black human before it was extremely dangerous.

...

Luo Feng looked at the giant python, which was watching him with extreme vigilance, and his eyes brightened. "An adult Jade-Scaled Python, of all things!"

With Luo Feng's current strength, this Jade-Scaled Python was the perfect opponent to hone his skills.

However...

"Why are there three humans?" Luo Feng frowned slightly as he looked at the bald martial artist and his group, who were coiled within the python's body. He felt a sense of trouble.

He was confident in defeating or even killing this Intermediate Overlord-level Jade-Scaled Python, but he was not confident in saving those three humans from its grasp.

The attack speed of an Intermediate Overlord-level monster was unimaginably fast. Luo Feng’s physical strength, which was already at the level of an Elementary Wargod, allowed him to reach speeds comparable to the speed of sound, but his attack speed was something else entirely.

Why save those three humans?

In the martial arts circle, there was an unwritten rule: in the wilderness, if a martial artist encounters danger, one should provide assistance within their capabilities if possible.

Even if they were strangers, they were all humans, and regardless of their nationality, their unified front was against the monsters. Seeing someone in need and having the ability to help, there was nothing to discuss—he had to act.

Luo Feng naturally shared this sentiment.

"It's a bit strange, though. Those people shouldn't be at the Wargod level. This Jade-Scaled Python could easily kill them. Why the stalemate?" Luo Feng found it curious and swept his gaze over the three.

"That backpack..." From a distance of several hundred meters, Luo Feng clearly saw the combat backpack held tightly in the bald man's arms, stretched to its limit. Through a gap in the top of the pack, the dense, distinct jade scales were visible.

In an instant, Luo Feng guessed the reason for the stalemate. The martial artists were holding the python's egg hostage.

"This squad has some serious guts," Luo Feng muttered, speechless. Stealing a monster's egg—especially one from an Intermediate Overlord-level beast—was essentially suicide.

If they succeeded, they’d strike it rich; if they failed, it was time to plan their own funerals.

However, martial artists were a group that lived on the edge of life and death. From the moment they stepped into the wilderness, they began an adventure that wagered their lives, so Luo Feng wouldn't judge their actions.

After all, if not for "Bai," in order to buy the "Water of Life," worth 30 billion Huaxia dollars, for his younger brother Luo Hua, he might have chosen to take such a risk if he stumbled upon a high-value monster egg. It was only after becoming a prospective martial artist and browsing the martial artist forums that Luo Feng realized the staggering value of the gift "Bai" had given him.

Thirty billion Huaxia dollars! Without "Bai's" help, Luo Feng knew he would have had to risk everything, spending a long time and paying a heavy price, just to earn that much. The process would have been arduous and fraught with danger.

He owed "Bai" too much.

...

"He's here! The Wargod is coming!"

The bald martial artist, the foreign martial artist, and the woman wielding the long saber watched with gleaming eyes as the figure leaped from the roof of the distant building and landed on the ground.

Only then did the three realize how young this Wargod-level powerhouse looked. Were it not for the thick, pungent scent of blood on him and his cold, calm demeanor in the face of the Jade-Scaled Python, they would have doubted the legitimacy of his strength.

Could someone so young be a Wargod? If he were a War-General, it would be understandable; geniuses were rare, but they existed.

"Maybe this lord just looks young, but is actually in his thirties," the bald man and his companions speculated.

On the other side, Luo Feng paid no attention to their reactions. His gaze was fixed on the Jade-Scaled Python, now less than a hundred meters away. At this distance, it would take only an instant for either him or the python to strike.

The Jade-Scaled Python's muscles were already coiled and ready, its scarlet tongue flickering, its cold, reptilian eyes radiating violent bloodlust. It looked as though it would pounce at any second, a sight that made the three martial artists feel an inexplicable, bone-chilling fear.

"Big guy, if I get them to return your egg, you let them go. How about that? I know you can understand me." Luo Feng spoke calmly, though he remained on high alert in case the beast suddenly attacked.

This was the safest way to save them that he could think of in the short term.

The Jade-Scaled Python hissed twice, and the intense desire to attack in its eyes dimmed slightly. It glanced at its offspring held in the bald man's arms, its head—as large as a house—showing a flash of anthropomorphic hesitation.

"Don't worry, I won't attack you during this process. If I were to ambush you at such close range, you could easily kill them in a desperate final struggle," Luo Feng said, noting the reason for the python's hesitation. He deliberately stepped back another two hundred meters to show his sincerity.

This gesture helped the hesitant python reach a decision. It lowered its body and slowly approached the bald martial artist, staring at him coldly while its tongue flickered.

"This..." Upon hearing Luo Feng, the bald man’s initial excitement at being saved faded, replaced by a look of intense reluctance and inner struggle.

Without this mysterious Wargod appearing, the bald man would have had no choice but to grit his teeth and return the egg to save his own life and satisfy the pressure from his two teammates.

But now, the Wargod's arrival had changed the situation. If the powerhouse engaged the beast in battle, he could use the chaos to escape with the egg.

This was a Jade-Scaled Python egg worth over a billion! The bald man was filled with unwillingness and resentment. He even began to harbor malicious suspicions toward Luo Feng: could this Wargod be eyeing the egg for himself?