I’ll just tuck my pride away for now and live to battle another day—

In the thick of the jungle, a woman rode atop a black panther, accompanied by a man resembling a monk, diligently clearing their path with a dagger as they walked.

"Where are we headed?" she asked.

"I'm not certain, somewhere to rest our weary heads perhaps?" he responded.

Suddenly, a piercing screech filled the air, capturing the attention of all three. Raising their gazes, they spotted a majestic white bird soaring above them, eventually perching on a nearby branch. The bird cast an inexplicably curious glance in their direction before taking flight once more.

Curious, Mo Hai questioned, "What was that?" However, a grave silence enveloped the group, until Liu Yifan finally broke it, saying, "That was Volando, an aggravatingly loyal hound dog, perpetually lacking in social grace."

As they approached a forsaken village, now nothing more than a haunting reminder of its former existence. Amidst the desolation and decay, a lone figure emerged, draped in dirt-stained garments and splattered with dried blood. Gripping a shattered spear tightly, his eyes bore into them with a mix of fear and desperation.

"Stay... stay back!" he screamed, his voice echoing through the lifeless surroundings. However, as he observed the trio's peaceful intentions, his trembling form relaxed, and he slowly lowered his weapon, collapsing to his knees in defeat.

The trio cautiously approached him, their presence offering solace in the midst of his torment. "What... happened?" Mo Hai asked softly, her words barely escaping her lips.

Tears welled up in the broken man's eyes as he poured out his pain. "My village... savaged by a feral serpent. It was alone... merciless... it slaughtered my entire family," he choked, his voice cracking with grief. "I am next in line to die... I can feel it in my bones. It... murdered my mate, the one who brought light into my life..." He paused and continued with a heavy sigh, "I have nothing left to live for."

Just then, a low rumble filled the air, growing louder with each passing moment. The ground beneath them trembled as the foliage around them rustled restlessly.

A burst of vibrant purple caught their attention, mesmerizing and captivating. Without warning, a colossal figure emerged, a dark purple snake towering above them, larger than ten stacked buses. It stared down at them with an intense gaze, sending chills down their spine.

In that moment, Mo Hai realized, just like in countless stories, this imposing creature is the undeniable object of affection in almost every beastman romance story but not today.

In a swift motion, the snake lashed out with its tail, emitting a menacing hiss. Caught off guard, they had no chance to evade the unexpected assault. Though they managed to evade direct impact, the sheer force of the attack propelled them into flight, creating an enormous gust of wind.

As they soared through the air, thoughts raced through Mo Hai's mind. This was turning out to be far from the romantic encounter anyone had anticipated.

Zou Guanting's body freezes, overcome by a wave of terror. He struggles with the devastating understanding that he might not have the power to overcome this formidable enemy.

However, this isn't something worth engaging in a battle for...