Relief Efforts (3)

The colossal python reared its head, hissing skyward, then slammed it down. With a resounding thump, it rose again, revealing the very Earl Abdu, who had just been extorting the refugees' life savings, now clenched firmly in its jaws.

Immediately after, giant pythons surged forth from beneath the ground, and in the blink of an eye, the nobles' "resort" transformed into a writhing nest of vipers! But it wasn't just on land; in the distance, out on the churning sea, glimpses of massive pythons could be seen slithering through the water. At a glance, their numbers were uncountable.

"Battle Gods preserve us, pah, *Daoist Grape* preserve us! Senior Brother Wukong, you're the master at wrangling these beasts, come out and lend a hand!" Du Chen babbled incoherently. He couldn't be blamed; any normal human, no matter their courage, would be terrified into unconsciousness at the sudden sight of an endless horde of giant pythons. To merely remain standing was already a testament to extraordinary bravery.

After his initial panic, Du Chen calmed himself. He immediately channeled all his Lotus Internal Force into his legs and sprinted frantically towards the refugee camp. These nobles were wicked in their wealth; their deaths would be no loss. But the hundred thousand innocent refugees to the north were not, and he had to warn them. Otherwise, they would all likely become python fodder!

As he ran, Du Chen glanced back to observe the pythons' pursuit speed. But that glance revealed something peculiar. The pythons seemed to be guided by someone. Though their formation was chaotic, all their heads were oriented in a single direction. Occasionally, a noble or two managed to escape the "resort," but the pythons didn't pursue them. Only when someone blocked their path or tried to attack them did the colossal snakes mercilessly open their gaping maws. These creatures were clearly intent on traveling, not on harming people!

Du Chen slowed his pace, observing for another moment before confirming his suspicion: these pythons were indeed merely passing through. Observing their direction of travel, Du Chen was startled anew. Their path led directly to Antwerp Port, dozens of miles away!! This spells trouble.

Du Chen resumed his sprint towards the refugee camp. He had channeled the Lotus Internal Force that had been suppressing the itchy numbness in his rear into his legs. Instantly, the discomfort in his backside surged uncontrollably like a wild horse unbridled, and the third lotus flower, now unconstrained, finally bloomed. All three lotus flowers on the Triple Qian Trigram were now fully bloomed, signifying that Du Chen had successfully cultivated the first realm of the Precious Lotus Scripture.

The first flower had generated inner strength, the second brought the benefits of meridians and marrow purification, but what special manifestation would the third flower, the Triple Qian Trigram fully bloomed, bring? As this thought crossed his mind, Du Chen suddenly felt excruciating pain throughout his entire skeletal system, as if someone had shattered his bones and then painstakingly reassembled them. Gods above, could this be a rebirth and bone-marrow transformation!?

Just then, Norton and Steve were also riding hard with soldiers. The refugee camp was only five or six miles from the beach. Though they couldn't see clearly, the open expanse of yellow earth between the two locations allowed them to glimpse the utter chaos by the sea. Knowing something had undoubtedly happened, they rushed to find Du Chen.

"Brother, what's going on up ahead?" Steve, seeing Du Chen's panicked appearance, quickly grabbed him and pulled him onto his own horse.

"Snakes, no, pythons, massive pythons!" Du Chen's body wracked with pain, his mouth parched, his voice hoarse. To any outsider, it would seem the boy had suffered an immense fright. "A horde of giant pythons passed through the nobles' camp and are now heading for Antwerp Port! Uncle Norton, quickly, get defenses ready!"

Norton furrowed his brow, hesitating. "The city should be safe enough. When Lord Zigurd arrived yesterday, I sealed off the port under the guise of epidemic control and dispatched heavily armed troops to patrol the coast!"

Recalling it now, Du Chen remembered that soldiers had indeed been enforcing martial law when they entered the Lord's Manor yesterday.

"But Uncle, those pythons are incredibly powerful! If you go just a bit further, you'll see for yourself!"

There was no need to go further. No sooner had Du Chen spoken than a giant python emerged from beneath the ground not far from them, then slithered towards the sea, joining the advancing serpentine horde.

Seeing the sheer size of that python, Norton gasped. "By Sigurd above! Such enormous pythons, I've only ever seen them when I campaigned against the Macallan Empire with Marshal Arges! Young masters, quickly, follow me back to Antwerp Port. There are massive sacred artifacts there that can protect everyone!"

With that, he ordered the accompanying soldiers to protect the two brothers, then galloped ahead.

"What about the refugees?" Du Chen shouted from horseback.

"If these pythons are merely passing through, the refugee camp won't be in danger! And the camp has soldiers protecting it already," Norton called back, hastily riding on. Though he said so, who could guarantee the pythons wouldn't turn and attack the camp? But at this moment, he couldn't spare a thought for the refugees; Marshal Arges's two young masters were far more important.

Du Chen still wanted to urge Norton to protect the refugees, but the excruciating pain in his bones intensified further. His vision blurred, and he fainted from the pain!

***

When Du Chen awoke, the crystal chandelier on the ceiling and Steve by his bedside both reminded him that he was back in the Lord's Manor. Steve had a look of anxiety on his face. Seeing Du Chen awake, he patted his chest in relief. "Oh, dear brother, you're finally awake! If you'd died so inexplicably, Mother would probably burst out of her grave to settle scores with me."

"Brother, what about the refugees?" Du Chen pushed himself up from the bed, only then realizing that his bones felt as if they had come undone; he had no strength whatsoever.

"Haha, the refugees are all fine. The pythons went straight to Antwerp Port and didn't turn back to attack them!"

Du Chen let out a long breath, then asked, "Why did I faint?"

Steve shrugged, saying helplessly, "Gods above, my brother, you don't even know why you fainted? It's hopeless! Even the priests couldn't find a reason for your collapse, and now the servants in the Lord's Manor have already spread the rumor that you were simply scared unconscious by the python horde!"

Du Chen merely smiled. He already bore the ignominy of 'disgrace' and 'idiot,' so he didn't mind adding 'coward' to the list of nicknames.

"By the way, what's with all the jewels you were carrying? When the priests examined you earlier, they found at least five hundred gold coins worth of gems!" Steve asked with a strange expression.

"Oh, earlier, when the pythons attacked the nobles' camp and I was fleeing, a jewelry box, knocked airborne by a python, fell from the sky. I opportunistically picked up the most precious pieces, thinking they could be used to aid the refugees later!"

As Du Chen spoke, he secretly glanced at his body beneath the quilt. His clothes had been removed, but his undergarments were still on, and the diamonds stashed in his Crotch Hoard were undisturbed. This meant the priests hadn't removed his underwear, nor was his lotus tattoo exposed. There was another stroke of luck: ever since leaving home, Du Chen had spent every day with Steve and feared his brother would discover the Ramhorn Warhammer on him. He had therefore hidden the hammer in a box storing personal items, so even though he was stripped bare, no one had seen the stolen sacred artifact.

"You, you're so greedy you'd risk your life for wealth! To still think about picking up jewels at a time like that! Remember next time, your life is more important than anything!" Steve stood up, adjusting his armor. It was only then that Du Chen noticed his brother was wearing orange Fiend Warrior soft armor forged from refined iron. "Those damned pythons have besieged Antwerp Port. I'm going to help Uncle Norton defend the city. There's an ancestral statue on the city wall, and as a Sigurd scion, I cannot abandon it. You just rest easy!"

"Pythons besieging the city?"

"Yes, and these pythons seem to have studied military tactics, damn it! They're actually arrayed in a standard amphibious landing formation!" Steve pursed his lips with a strange expression. "Oh, and by the way, these pythons are here to rescue that demoness!"

"How do you know, Brother?" Du Chen asked in surprise.

Steve didn't answer, instead looking out the window, as if awaiting something. Suddenly, a thunderous roar reverberated across all of Antwerp Port. "Zigurd, I know you're in the city! You've been poisoned by my venom; even if you flee to the ends of the earth, I'll still scent you out! Hand over the Lady! Or I'll bathe this port in blood!"

"This fellow shouts every three minutes; what secrets could there possibly be left?" Steve shrugged with a wry smile.