Chapter 57: Trapped by Snakes

Hong Jing and his father abandoned the mountain paths, nearly tumbling headlong as they rushed down the slopes, paying no attention to the tree branches scratching bloody lines across their skin.

But as snake catchers, not even a shred of safety reached their hearts.

On the contrary, terror had already seized their chests, nearly suffocating them.

In the mountains, how could they possibly outrun a horde of snakes!

“Whoosh!”

Hong’s father stumbled, rolling straight down into the forest, the snake basket at his waist falling to the ground.

A python blocked the path, lying across the road.

It was precisely because of this python that Hong’s father had tripped.

“Father!”

Hong Jing reached out to pull up his fallen father, but then heard him roar:

“Run! Hong Jing!”

Three or four snakes of different shapes had already coiled themselves around Hong’s father, one even opening its maw wide at his neck.

“Father!”

There was no time for grief.

Hong Jing turned and ran, his father’s shout echoing behind him:

“Hong Jing, live on!

“Tell the villagers—a Lord of Snakes has appeared in the mountains!!”

“Ahhh!!!”

The last tragic cry cut off abruptly.

Without looking back, Hong Jing already knew his father’s fate.

Overcome with grief, he howled:

“Ahhh! I cannot die here! I must live! I must live and bring word back to everyone!”

“Is that so......”

A voice, cold and eerie as though it rose from hell itself, came from above Hong Jing:

“Then I suppose I shall do you the favor of delivering the message in your place......”

A single thought flickered in Hong Jing’s mind:

Strange... since when can a python fly? And that thing on its back......

The next instant, an enormous python loomed large in his pupils, shrinking his vision to the size of a needle’s tip, closer and closer......

Bureau of Heaven Monitoring, Yongzhou Branch.

Hong Sheng was packing up belongings together with his younger sister, Hong Yu.

“Second Brother, in just two more days, we’ll finally be going home. I’m so excited!”

Hong Sheng finished tidying his things, looked at his excited sister, and only smiled silently.

It wasn’t that Hong Yu was too easily excited—he himself also felt nostalgic for Hongjia Village.

After all, it had been a full three months since their last visit.

These three months, they had been studying and learning at the Bureau of Heaven Monitoring.

This matter had to be traced back two years.

Two years ago, a snake demon that ate humans appeared on Hong Mountain and devoured the corpse collector Hong Sanjiang, who lived on the outskirts of the village closest to Hong Mountain.

So Hong Tianfeng’s brother, Hong Tianyun, went to invite Ding Fan and Xu Han, two young Taoists of the Bureau, to Hongjia Village to subdue the demon.

Unexpectedly, both Taoists met their deaths in the snake’s jaws.

Later, a passing Taoist of the Bureau subdued the snake demon.

Its corpse was burned in Hong Sanjiang’s house.

Before his death, Ding Fan had expressed great appreciation for Hong Sheng.

Although Hong Sheng was not an orphan, Ding Fan had still extended an invitation for him to join the Bureau.

Hong Sheng politely refused.

Even so, Ding Fan had written a letter of recommendation for him, tucked inside his satchel, intending to persuade him again after dealing with the demon.

Unfortunately, Ding Fan perished in the snake’s maw, and the letter was never delivered.

Later, Ding Fan and Xu Han’s teacher, Wei Hanyu, came to Hongjia Village to mourn them at Hong Mountain, where he unexpectedly found Ding Fan’s satchel.

Though much of its contents had been lost, Wei Hanyu discovered the letter of recommendation near it.

Out of respect for his deceased disciples, and learning that Hong Tianfeng’s dying wish was for his three children to study well and never again risk their lives as snake catchers,

Wei Hanyu invited Hong Wen and his two younger siblings to study at the Bureau.

Even if they would not become demon hunters, they could still receive education.

Even Hong Yu, though a girl, was included.

After all, the Bureau of Heaven Monitoring raised many orphans, both boys and girls.

Those with talent became demon catchers, those without learned trades to survive.

It could be said that within the Great Qian Dynasty, the Bureau of Heaven Monitoring had the least gender discrimination.

Thus, Hong Sheng and Hong Yu naturally went to study at the Bureau.

As for the eldest, Hong Wen, he declared that his aspirations lay elsewhere, politely declined Wei Hanyu’s good will, and inherited his father’s profession as a snake catcher.

For more than two years, Hong Sheng and Hong Yu had spent most of their time residing in the Bureau’s academy, only returning home once every few months.

Now, with another visit approaching, how could Hong Yu not be excited?

In her excitement, Hong Sheng noticed the thin hemp cord tied across her chest.

He had one tied across his chest as well, both wearing them as a sign of mourning.

Their father, Hong Tianfeng, had died two winters ago.

To scrape together “tuition” for his children, he ventured alone into the deep mountains to catch snakes.

In the end, he was bitten in the neck by a venomous snake and drowned in a river.

Sensing her brother’s gaze, Hong Yu’s excitement dimmed, her expression turning sorrowful:

“Second Brother, if only Father could know that we can study now, how happy he would be.”

“If only Uncle Wei had come to the village a bit earlier, then maybe Father wouldn’t have had to......”

Hong Sheng covered her mouth:

“Sister, if the snake demon hadn’t devoured Uncle Sanjiang, Uncle Wei and Taoist Ding Fan would never have come to our village. You’re basically cursing Uncle Sanjiang to die early.”

Seeing the desolation in her eyes, Hong Sheng comforted her:

“Sister, the dead cannot be brought back. Two years have already passed. Don’t cling to these thoughts—it wasn’t our fault.”

“Father lived by catching snakes, and died by them. Even if not for us, this day might still have come eventually.”

“Think of it this way—even though Father passed away, we now have the chance to study. His wish has been fulfilled. If his spirit knows, surely he will rest in peace.”

Hong Yu looked at her brother and couldn’t help but say:

“Second Brother, you’re always so calm. No wonder last time we went home, Eldest Brother hit you.”

Hearing this, Hong Sheng gave a bitter smile.

Indeed.

Three months ago, Hong Wen had been preparing his snake-catching gear to head into the mountains.

Just after Hong Sheng returned with Hong Yu from paying respects at their father’s grave, he saw him and immediately frowned:

“Brother, are you going alone into the mountains again?”

Hong Wen gave his younger brother a gentle smile:

“Brother, this doesn’t concern you. You and Hong Yu just study well. I’ll figure out your tuition, and when you return to the Bureau, give it to Uncle Wei.”

Hong Sheng replied:

“Brother, I’ve already told you many times. Uncle Wei and the teachers at the Bureau won’t accept tuition from us. You don’t need to trouble yourself.”

Hong Wen only smiled the same way:

“The teachers may not ask, but our family’s manners cannot be neglected. Otherwise, people outside the village will say we lack upbringing.”

Hong Sheng grew a little angry:

“The teachers of the Bureau aren’t like that.”

Hong Wen only smiled, seeming to agree with his brother, then prepared to leave.

Noticing the scale dangling from the thin cord on Hong Wen’s chest, Hong Sheng narrowed his eyes.

That scale belonged to the snake demon that, two years ago, had devoured Hong Sanjiang, Ding Fan, and Xu Han, before being slain by a wandering Taoist.

The scale was incredibly tough, enough to serve as a commoner’s chest-guard.

Ever since the demon was slain, Hong Wen had kept it hanging over his heart.