Chapter 26 Into The Predators’ Layers Part 3

The only sound Abrafo heard was the beating of his heart as he was about to break free from the wrapping dragline silk for the first time in the longest time, Abrafo finally felt fresh air seeping into the dragline silk wrap. He was about to break free from the dragline silk wrap and run, but the giant spider stopped suddenly and turned around quickly, just as it was approaching a tree. Abrafo finally took a closer look, only to find that where he was taken, there were hundreds of cocoons hanging on the branches. Abrafo knows he needs to release himself quickly, or he will likely become just another cocoon in the tree like everyone else.

The giant spider turned around slowly, staring straight at Abrafo, who was pretending to be asleep, with two big eyes. The gigantic spider hissed, and its long, massive chelicerae flowing toward Abrafo. He knew that if he didn't do something quick, he was going to be at this monster dinner tonight.

Abrafo suddenly grabbed the spider's chelicerae, and Abrafo's sudden attack caused the spider to retreat suddenly, pulling Abrafo out of the dragline silk wrap flying into the air. Abrafo let go of the monster spider's chelicerae and pierced the blade into the giant spider's largest left eye.

After suffering the pain, the giant spider staggered back, swaying left and right, and its monstrous body hits the trees, many cocoons fell on the ground and one cocoon landed on Abrafo. The cocoon split open the moment it hit Abrafo, and the black and foul-smelling purification fluid covered Abrafo from head to toe. The spider screeched loudly. The spider's screech resounded throughout the mountain. Abrafo wanted to stand up and run, but his legs were still numb, and he couldn't run at all. The giant spider angrily searched for Abrafo's trace on the ground, continuous screeching in pain.

Although the spider is as big as a horse, it has seven eyes and has very poor eyesight, it continues to screech and look for Abrafo, because Abrafo is covered by the purge fluid, and the spider no longer can smell Abrafo's scent.

Abrafo propped himself up on his elbows and began to crawl along the path the giant spider had taken him from.

Michio heard the loud screech not far from him, but if he wanted to get to the place where the scream came from, he had to come out of his hiding place and pass the thing standing not far from him.

Michio took a few deep breaths. "Here we go." As he spoke, he rushed out from behind the tree, and quickly shot two talismans at the thing in front of him. He pulled out his three-section staff and threw it at the green thing in front of him.

The greenish thing in front of him screamed in pain from being hurt by the talismans. With a quick foot thrust, Michio flew forward and swung the three-section staff towards the green monster. The green monster quickly countered Michio's blows with it sharp claws.

Michio quickly stepped back, staring at the green monster. It has the body of a grasshopper and a human face. One side of the monster's face is male, and the other is female. Seeing the monster now, Michio finally understood why he heard two voices that made him think there was more than one enemy.

Michio asked suspiciously, "What are you?"

The monster smiled and said, "The name is Zöld."

Michio smiled and said, "Michio… why are you trying to kill me?"

Zöld said, ""Because we haven't had human flesh for a long time..." Zöld stretched out his long fingers and licked his lips with its dark green tongue. "Fresh flesh... tastes the best."

Michio suddenly remembered the old village. "You ate all those villagers?"

Zöld giggled, "It's not our fault that they built the house under our feet."

Michio said madly, "You evil…monstrous grasshopper with a double human face…"

Zöld laughed, "The name is Zöld."

Michio shouted back, "I don't care if your name is Ze..Zo.. or Zöld. I only know that you are killing innocent people indiscriminately. This is something that this monk cannot look past."

Zöld said, "They entered our territory... The guardian said that whatever comes into our territory, we can do whatever we want with it."

Michio asked, "Guardian? Who is the guardian?"

Zöld said, "Whoever lives on top of the mountain is the guardian."

Michio said, "The land belongs to all living creatures not just you." He pointed his three-section-staff at Zöld "You have no right to take anyone's life, only heaven has that right."

Zöld said, "Where have you been? Since ancient times, we carnivores have always had the upper hand, we are at the top of the food chain, and you humans are at the bottom of the food chain, so don't compare us." Zöld snarled at Michio.

Michio said, "I will show you which group of us is at the top of the food chain."

Michio galloped up and swung the three-section staff directly at Zöld's head. Zöld raised his paw to block Michio's three-section staff and swung his right paw towards Michio's abdomen. Michio quickly blocked it and kicked Zöld in the abdomen.

Michio did a front flip and landed on Zöld's back. He started hitting Zöld's head left and right. Zöld tried hard to get Michio off Zöld's back, but Zöld couldn't. Michio quickly rolled onto Zöld's back and smashed the fire talisman on Zöld's back.

Zöld screamed in pain: "Ah... evil humans... we are burning... ah... we are burning..."

Michio didn't want to catch himself on fire, and quickly distanced himself from Zöld. Zöld screams and curses at Michio.

Michio sighed, "Amitabha..." He watched the flames rise above Zold's head. Michio didn't want to continue watching Zöld burn, so he turned and started running towards the screaming. When he ran far enough, he stopped to catch his breath and turned to look at Zöld, but he could no longer see Zöld and the burning flames, and he thought that Zöld must have put out the fire, so he kept running.

Quietly emerging from the pond was Chun's head. Chun has a very beautiful face, black hair, and red eyes. Chun stood there motionless and stared at Yul's back. She knew in her heart that Yul didn't notice that she was staring at Yul. Not many things on this mountain noticed her until she made a move. Chun flowed swiftly like water flowing down the river, touchless, like the wind passing silently, only the waves are rippling. She swam to the edge of the pond and pushed herself out of the water with her hands, the other half of her scaly body following her upper body. She stands there for a moment looking at Yul and then she followed Yul slowly and quietly.

When Yul came across a long piece of dried snakeskin, he stopped suddenly and stared at the shed snakeskin on the ground. It looks like the shed has been there for a long time. He bent down slowly and took a closer look. He knew in his heart that they were entering a very dangerous terrain.

Yul felt a hand gently caress his back, moving slowly towards his lower back, and he stood up slowly. Yul turns quickly, but he sees nothing. He reached for the hilt of his sword.

"It's so handsome," Chun said. "Why don't you stay and be another husband for me?"

Yul quickly searches around, but he doesn't see anyone. "Who are you?" Yul asked.

"Chun," Chun said, lying on the branch, looking at Yul with a smile. Her long green tail slowly creeps onto Yul's back, slowly stroking Yul's back. "Stay by my side, I can fulfill any wish of yours."

Yul said, "What I want, you can never fulfill."

Chun said, "I have lived for thousands of years, and there is nothing I don't know."

Yul was still turning around to look for the individual, and said, "Take me to No Man's Land, and help me retreat the white dragon tail. If you can do it, I will consider living here with you."

Chun laughed and said, "You're crazy. You'll never succeed."

Yul asked, "Why?"

Chun approached from behind the tree and smiled at Yul. "Because no creature has ever entered No Man's Land."

Yul asked, "What do you mean?"

Chun looked at Yul and asked, "Why should I tell you?"

Yul said, "You don't have to tell me about No Man's Land, but maybe you can tell me why you're alone on this mountain."

Chun expressed angrily, "You think I like staying here? This place is a prison. If I had a choice, I would be the first to leave here voluntarily."

Yul said, "If you think this is a prison, why don't you leave?"

Chun said, "I can't leave here. Anyone who enters this mountain can't leave here. Besides, if I leave here, I'm afraid I won't see him again."

Yul asked, "Who?"

Chun said, "My lover." She rolls her eyes at Yul and smiles. "Since you are so handsome and kind..." Chun suddenly changed her attitude. "I'll tell you what you want to know." She moves closer to Yul. "I heard other creatures say... To enter No Man's Land, you must first collect five keys before you can go. There is no point in reaching the gate of reality without the keys." She turns and smiles at Yul. "You won't be able to break through the gate of reality. Many years ago, a very powerful mage traveled there without five keys and decided to use his magical powers to destroy the gate of reality but failed. He ended up killing everyone he took and himself. His body was destroyed into four hundred pieces. An unknown tribe took his flesh and buried him in a cave of crystals. For seven days they prayed without ceasing. Under their prayers, the four hundred pieces of flesh and blood of the dead powerful mage began to grow and turned into four hundred powerful mages to protect this mysterious tribe."

Chun stared at Yule and continued with a smile: "It's a pity...these four hundred powerful mages were so stupid to follow their leader and serve a certain Western king, but they died together with the things they created to protect this vicious king."

Yul suddenly realizes that Chun is talking about the Kukungga tribe and the River of Sorrow. Yul asked, "Do you know where the five keys are?"

Chun said, "I don't know, no one knows, I only know that these five keys contain five elements." She stopped, still smiling at Yul and refused to tell Yul any further. "Well... Maybe you can ask the Emperor of Heaven."

Yul sighs because he knows that the black hole was created by the emperor of heaven, so the chances of the emperor of heaven will help them be zero. "Thank you for the backstory," Yul said as he left Chun.

Chun smiled and said, "Leaving so soon?"

Yul turns around and says, "You finished telling your story, I have friends to save."

"My story is not free," Chun said.

Yul asked, "I don't know how true your story is."

"My story is true, and I never lie to someone I'm about to eat," Chun said, giggling and hissing at Yul with her split tongue…