Young Master Wang stumbled and fell, witnessing the gruesome sight of a body beyond recognition. Identifying the corpse as a member of the Firework Exploration Team from its clothing, he retched uncontrollably. A warm sensation ran down his lower half, and he couldn't even get back on his feet.

Young Master Wang's bodyguards finally arrived. Seeing their charge in such a disgraceful state, they initially felt embarrassed but knew they had to protect him. They quickly closed in to help him up.

Burning with fury, Young Master Wang, still being supported by two men, yelled, "That brat... kill him for me... ugh, I'll grind him to a pulp!"

With a stern face, Shao Qi stared back, "Who are you planning to chop up?"

The sheer aura radiating from him forced even the bodyguards to step back. They wished they could shut Young Master Wang's mouth; it was nothing but trouble.

Song Xingzhen stepped forward, bowing respectfully, "Honored ones, please don't lower yourselves to his childish level. He's merely been spoiled. We'll take him away at once."

With the mutant snake drawing nearer, Song Xingzhen secretly hoped the duo would help buy them some time. It would be foolish to squabble over trifles at a moment like this. If they had known the trouble this would cause, they never would have accepted the mission.

"Get lost. I don't have time for your nonsense today. Cross my path again, and I'll cut out his tongue," Shao Qi threatened, turning his attention to the two-headed cobra alongside Zhou You.

"If we were to rank the advanced mutant beasts, this King Cobra would surely be at the top tier. Its destructive power is comparable to that bear." The bullets from Shao Qi's gun and Zhou You's crossbow bolts didn't harm the snake. Both retreated, devising a new plan.

From a distance, Song Xingzhen looked back, speculating that the two must be elite disciples from some prominent sect. Especially the slender young man who, despite appearing average, had profound internal energy.

Zhou You primarily relied on shooting arrows from a distance. Despite the snake's massive size, its agility was unmatched. Often, only one of ten arrows found its mark.

"How do we penetrate its defense?" Zhou You shouted.

Sheathing his gun, Shao Qi rued not having a decoy earlier. "Why not try the method you used on that bear last time?"

Both men set their sights on the dead fire rhinoceros nearby. Though the snake couldn't swallow the whole beast, they could carve out some meat to use as bait.

Zhou You nodded, "Alright, let's give it a shot." Switching to guns, he fired at the snake, giving Shao Qi the chance to harvest from the rhinoceros. The hide and the horn were invaluable, not to be wasted.

Irritated by the barrage, the two-headed snake dodged, its tail demolishing buildings in its path.

The snake lowered one of its heads, spewing venom at Zhou You. He narrowly evaded, only to detect a putrid scent and find the other head lunging at him.

"Are you done?" Zhou You asked Shao Qi while evading the attacks.

Skilled in game dressing, Shao Qi quickly severed the rhino's horn and skinned it. "Almost ready!"

Spotting white mist spraying from one of the snake's mouths, Zhou You dodged, using his agility to maneuver through the dilapidated streets.

Shao Qi flung a rhinoceros leg at the snake, hitting one of its heads. The scent of food caused a momentary pause before the snake devoured the meat, its belly bulging.

"I'll hold it off. Seize the moment." Brandishing a knife, Shao Qi moved in. Since leaving the Jiangnan base, he had acquired a new blade. Zhou You initially mistook it for a legendary one, but it was just a regular knife from a store.

Sparks flew as the blade struck the snake's tough hide, sending shockwaves that numbed Shao Qi's hand.

Jumping onto the snake's back, Shao Qi thrust the knife deep into its hide. Infused with his chi, the blade pierced the skin, spilling blood. The cobra writhed in pain, trying to snap at the source of its torment.

Both snakeheads opened wide simultaneously, revealing rows of sharp teeth, with remnants of flesh lodged between them. Even from several meters away, one could smell the foul stench emanating from its mouth.

Shao Qi applied more force, his hand holding the knife steady without any struggle. Inch by inch, he pushed the blade deeper. With every inch, the mutant cobra grew more enraged, spitting two streams of venom at Shao Qi without hesitation.

A smirk lifted the corners of Shao Qi's mouth. "I was waiting for this." He leapt off the snake's back just in time for the venom to strike its own skin. He wondered, could its venom harm itself?

As it turned out, while the mutant snake might not die from its venom, the poison was corrosive. Even the tough snake skin couldn't resist the erosion. However, given its massive size, such minor damage was negligible.

"Are you done yet?" This time, it was Shao Qi pressing for an answer.

Zhou You sat cross-legged on the ground, in front of him lay a huge chunk of meat, weighing at least a thousand pounds. His internal energy was concentrated at a single point, infinitely compressed, before he used both hands to hurl the meat at the mutant cobra.

But as the meat approached, the snake didn't open its mouth to catch it. Instead, it forcefully smacked it away with its tail, then resumed its attack on Shao Qi.

Zhou You was dumbfounded. The result of his tremendous effort and significant energy expenditure was dismissed so easily. It was infuriating.

"Hold on, watch this," Shao Qi said, running over to pick up the meat. He taunted the snake, "Come and bite me!"

"Stop playing around, it might swallow you whole!" Zhou You warned anxiously.