Chapter 66: Stir-Fried Crispy Squid Tentacles

The light atop the sentry post barely illuminated the massive python's head.

As for that astonishingly long tail, it had completely melted into the dark night, making it impossible for ordinary people to estimate its exact length.

Some people were sizing up the giant python, while others were sizing up Su Su, who stood atop it.

The young woman had a cascade of damp hair draped over her shoulders, her beautiful eyes sweeping across the calculating expressions on everyone's faces.

Despite her delicate frame—she was even shorter than the shortest man present—she somehow projected the most dangerous and inscrutable presence.

This was a giant python capable of easily killing a tier-five zombie.

No one dared to speak lightly, yet the calculations in their hearts were identical.

Gradually, numerous gazes drifted toward Si Zhe and Lin Weiran.

They were counting on these two to make the first move.

How could Si Zhe not know what these people were thinking? Yet he truly... refused to let Su Su walk away with this energy crystal.

"The spoils of war from the zombie horde should all be turned over to the base."

"Hand over the tier-five crystal."

Uttering such words was tantamount to tearing off the mask of hypocrisy entirely.

Lin Weiran subconsciously glanced at Si Zhe, chilled for two seconds by the cold light in his eyes.

She still couldn't bring herself to speak with such unrighteous justification, but... Si Zhe wasn't wrong either. Resources within the base were limited; if Su Su took away the rare tier-five crystal right after entering the base, the advancement speed of other ability users would be severely dragged down.

This crystal truly ought to be allocated and managed by the base.

With Si Zhe taking the lead, the others chimed in one after another.

"That's right! We all chipped in to kill this tier-five zombie! How can you take this tier-five crystal all by yourself?"

"Hand over the tier-five crystal! Let the base distribute it!"

Even Lin Weiran chimed in, "You just arrived at the base, and your abilities aren't even registered yet. You're essentially an outsider ability user—isn't it a bit too much for you to monopolize the base's resources?"

"She's an outsider?"

"Then she definitely can't take our tier-five crystal!"

"Exactly! If she hadn't come, the tier-five crystal would have been ours!"

"..."

The clamor of denunciations landed clearly in Su Su's ears.

She found it somewhat amusing. "Didn't you all just say that when it comes to the tier-five crystal, everyone relies on their own ability?"

"That's a matter among the ability users of our Southern Base! What right does an outsider like you have to fight for it?"

"Hurry up and hand it over!"

The crowd closed in tighter, their gazes shifting from wary to eager, clearly preparing to use their numbers to overwhelm her and forcefully seize the tier-five crystal.

Su Su's expression abruptly turned cold. "Then come and try, see if you can actually snatch this crystal from my hands."

"Hiiiisssss!!!"

At the precise moment, the giant python spat out a massive ball of blue flame, driving back the ability users who had rushed forward most aggressively.

The crowd exchanged glances and charged forward simultaneously.

This was a slaughter between a tier-five giant python and a multitude of tier-four ability users.

One kilometer away.

Brother Wang and Qu Wen shared the same sentry post. Both of their abilities had already advanced to tier four, making them among the few ability users who had not gone to fight for the tier-five zombie.

Before they could recover from the shock of the giant python's appearance, they witnessed the death of the tier-five zombie and the crystal falling into Su Su's hands.

Immediately afterward, the remaining tier-four ability users began their siege on the python.

Qu Wen's elation lasted only a few seconds before her brow furrowed. "What are they trying to do?"

Brother Wang, possessing much richer life experience, guessed most of it at a glance. "They want to snatch that tier-five crystal."

"Are they insane? If not for Su Su, they would have died at the hands of the tier-five zombie ages ago!"

The people on the sentry post had watched the entire battle clearly through binoculars.

Not a single tier-four ability user had been a match for that tier-five zombie. If the giant python hadn't intervened in time, they would have been smashed to pieces like ice sculptures one by one!

"When the stakes are high enough, no one cares about reason."

A tier-five zombie had only appeared once so far.

Once someone got their hands on this rare tier-five crystal, they could leap to become the strongest ability user in the base, and might even be able to rally all the ability squads to overthrow the city lord!

Everyone would covet it, and everyone would use any means necessary to seize it!

Brother Wang's expression grew increasingly solemn. "Su Su's abilities don't work on humans. I wonder if that giant python can handle so many people?"

Qu Wen gripped the railing of the sentry post, observed for a moment, and made up her mind.

She looked at Brother Wang.

The latter understood Qu Wen's intention, but he hesitated.

"Qu Wen, I am an ability user in the Southern Base. Whether in the past or the future, I have to survive here. Standing on Su Su's side right now is equivalent to offending every single ability squad."

"I can only support her in spirit, but in action... my hands are truly tied."

Qu Wen nodded. "I understand."

Brother Wang watched as she vaulted over the sentry post, nimbly climbed the iron wire fence, and with a few leaps, her figure grew smaller and smaller, drawing closer and closer to the battlefield of infighting.

"Brother Wang, are we really just going to watch like this?" asked one of the nearby brothers with a hint of guilt. "She gave us a tier-four crystal and even helped take care of Wang Pengfei. Doing this... isn't it a bit ungrateful?"

It was indeed ungrateful.

Yet what else could be done? Those people currently engaged in battle were all prominent ability users within the base, hailing from various squads.

Qu Wen had just arrived at the Southern Base, so she could afford to help. But he had been rooted in the base for so long, inextricably linked to everyone here; he could not afford to help.

What was more... Brother Wang turned his head anxiously, gazing toward the central Sentry Post No. 10.

That was the city lord's post. His ability to control humans was far too effective, and he had always remained hidden behind the scenes.

The scramble among those ability users might well have been instigated by the city lord himself.

"Let's watch a little longer." Let's watch a little longer.

Brother Wang's grip tightened around the railing.

"Hiiiisssss!!!"

The giant python tore another ability user's body to shreds, yet a continuous stream of attacks still assaulted Su Su.

Humans were far smarter than zombies.

Almost everyone noticed how the python guarded Su Su, while the latter—whose abilities were useless against humans—resembled a glaring weakness and loophole.

Everyone understood the python's formidable power, so they all resorted to迂回 (indirect/flanking) attacks on Su Su, attempting to pin down the cold-blooded creature.

And they indeed succeeded.

The giant python had to divide a large portion of its focus to protect its mate, lest it win the fight only to find its mate dead.

"Su Su, I've come to help you!"

Su Su looked up and happened to see Qu Wen tangling with an earth-attribute ability user who had launched the fiercest offensive.

She looked surprised. "Why are you here?"

"Consider it repaying the favor of that tier-four crystal!"

The entangled ability user was furious. "Which squad are you from? Aren't you afraid of us settling accounts later?!"

Qu Wen brandished her ice blade and savagely slashed at him. "Then come ahead! Before you become a tier-five ability user, I'm not afraid of you!"

She did have some calculations in the back of her mind.

The alliance formed by these ability users was fundamentally fragile. Once tonight's events concluded, it might very well fall apart completely.

By that time, aside from the single ability user she was personally holding off, who else would have the energy to settle scores with her?

At worst, they would just harbor secret resentment.

There were far too many things to be hated for in the apocalypse; the fact that she had managed to bring Ji Junzhi all the way to the Southern Base meant she simply didn't fear such petty malice!

Su Su felt a slight warmth in her heart.

However, she found no opportunity to express her gratitude. This group of ability users was far too cunning, and Xiao Hei, restrained by its concern for her, could never unleash its full strength. Under these circumstances, even if she wanted to find a chance to pry the tier-five crystal out of Xiao Hei's mouth, she couldn't find a single spare moment!

Swish!

Another barbed vine slipped through the gaps between the python's coils, unceremoniously wrapping around Su Su's ankle, its dark red thorns driving deep into her skin.

Su Su screamed in pain, unable to control herself.

The barbed vine refused to let go, attempting to drag her forcefully out from the shelter of the snake's tail.

Enduring the agonizing pain, she swung her blade and savagely severed the vine.

Yet blood still flowed out.

The giant python's movements froze! It caught the scent of its mate's bleeding wound!

"HIIISSSSSSS!!!!!l"

The snake's hiss shook the heavens, its copper-bellied vertical pupils brimming with lethal fury.

It went completely berserk.

Blue flames poured forth without reservation, chasing after every single individual. In mere moments, the entire battlefield ignited into a vast sea of fire, even baking the rain-soaked ground dry with the intense heat!

It took the brunt of the lightning ball and electric net hurled by Si Zhe, precisely locked onto the wood-attribute ability user who had harmed its mate, and tore him apart into countless fragments.

Blood splattered across the ground, instantly baked into congealed clots by the extreme heat.

Reddish-brown stains even splashed onto quite a few ability users.

Shocked by the horrific spectacle, they felt their resolve waver and retreat.

Even if they managed to seize that tier-five crystal, it might not fall to them. Meanwhile, in the battle against the giant python, there was every likelihood they would end up dead without a corpse left intact.

Fissures began to form within the alliance.

Right at that moment, someone's waist-mounted walkie-talkie crackled to life—

"Everyone, as long as you can capture Miss Su and this giant python alive, not only will this tier-five crystal be yours, but all the battle-pets in my private zoo will also be distributed among you for the picking."

"In the future, as tier-five crystals become more abundant, I can even guarantee that every single person present will receive one."

It was the city lord's voice!

All the ability users exchanged glances. The squads that had already pledged allegiance to the city lord charged forward without a moment's hesitation.

Even Si Zhe's eyes flickered for a few seconds.

He knew all too well what this giant python meant to He Heng.

Whether for the sake of this tier-five crystal or the endless benefits in the future... he was willing to serve as He Heng's vanguard.

And it didn't end there!

Across all sentry posts, the loudspeakers blared simultaneously.

"Attention, ability users! You can all see it with your own eyes—what lies before you is a tier-five crystal, alongside a giant python capable of wielding abilities."

"Whoever dares to rush out past the iron fence right now and capture the giant python alive, the base's internal armory will be opened for you! Choose any crystal you want!"

The crowd erupted in uproar.

Any crystal at will! That meant even tier-four crystals could be chosen!

Not just tier-two and tier-three ability users, but even the few tier-four ability users stationed in the watchtowers felt their hearts stir. High-tier crystals were naturally better the more one had; who would ever complain about their own strength being too low?