Chapter 38 – Reveal
Naya Rivera’s head rotated 180 degrees, and her eyes, now completely black, stared intensely at Tu Ran. A shiny, black snake emerged from her mouth, its thick body causing her lips to tear open into a wide gash, almost splitting her face in half as bright red blood flowed down.
Tu Ran had imagined a hundred ways the alien species might reveal itself, but she hadn’t anticipated such a grotesque and terrifying sight.
Her heart skipped a beat in fear.
At that moment, the massive snake, as thick as a child’s waist, opened its blood-red mouth and flicked its tongue, lunging at her.
Tu Ran struggled to stay calm, retreating quickly while keeping her arm steady, pulling the trigger to shoot at the snake’s eyes.
Since it was an alien species, it had features different from ordinary pythons.
For example, it had four eyes, arranged like a peacock’s tail.
Tu Ran’s aim wasn’t great; she fired eight shots but hit only one.
With her pistol’s magazine emptied, she swiftly switched to her submachine gun.
Even if her aim was poor, she could compensate with volume.
The crowd, startled by the sudden commotion, scattered in panic. Seeing the giant snake emerge from Naya Rivera’s mouth caused screams to erupt.
The worker who had been standing next to Naya Rivera was so terrified that his legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground, unable to stand. He could only crawl away in a desperate attempt to escape.
Having been prepared, Ding Naiqing had already raised his submachine gun and started firing when Naya Rivera’s head rotated.
Tu Ran never expected that the seemingly gentle and naive Ding Naiqing could be so fierce with a submachine gun. His precise, relentless barrage of bullets didn’t miss a single shot, all of them penetrating the python’s body.
The guards stationed around the area quickly raised their guns and began shooting at the giant python. Initially skeptical of Tu Ran’s capabilities, they now saw that she had indeed identified the real alien. Without hesitation, they started to both evacuate the crowd and unleash a barrage of firepower.
For many, this was their first direct combat with an alien, and they deployed all their skills.
The python was unfortunate; it hadn’t fully emerged from Naya Rivera’s body before being subjected to an intense crossfire. It thrashed in agony, its smooth body writhing as it attempted to dodge the bullets. Venom sprayed from its glands, splattering everywhere, but the well-prepared humans skillfully evaded the dangerous liquid.
The gunfire continued for nearly five minutes. The snake’s four eyes were pierced by bullets, oozing thick green blood, and its body was riddled with bullet holes.
Tu Ran, being close, could even smell the acrid stench of burning flesh.
Yet, the snake continued to struggle fiercely, its body twisting like a hose under high pressure, desperately yet futilely avoiding the bullets, a testament to its tenacious vitality.
Finally, after another minute, its body went limp, swaying in the air a few times before becoming completely still.
To ensure it was dead, the shooting persisted for another minute. Bullets easily tore through its mangled flesh, as if they were penetrating a wind-filled sack.
Tu Ran waved her hand, signaling everyone to cease fire. They all stopped and observed the gruesome scene before them.
Naya Rivera’s bones seemed to have been completely devoured, leaving her lower body collapsed in a grotesque heap on the ground. Her upper body remained somewhat upright, likely supported by the part of the snake’s body that had yet to emerge.
