Chuck had taken potions before, but he hadn't realized that ordinary herbs could also be used to create such concoctions.
However, based on the synthesis prompt, it was likely that this type of potion, made from common herbs, differed from the Lycoris Radiata potion; it wouldn't grant body enhancements but merely amplify the herbs' medicinal effects.
Fortunately, this was precisely what Chuck needed right now.
Lacking a thermometer, he had only judged the heat with the back of his hand, so he didn't know how high Gu Momo's fever was.
But Chuck had experienced a near 104°F (40°C) fever himself. Even then, he could maintain consciousness enough to rush to a hospital, not burn to the point of collapse. It was well-known that such a high fever, if sustained for several hours, could cause irreversible damage to vital organs like nerves and the heart, potentially becoming life-threatening.
So, Gu Yitong was not overreacting.
Chuck was also well aware that every second that passed now was a matter of life and death for Gu Momo.
Time was of the essence, now more than ever.
Even after a morning of chopping wood, Chuck sprinted up the stone slope platform at full speed, then raced across the stone beach and reached the redwood forest.
Fun fact: to get snake bile, you first have to kill a snake.
Chuck was already intimately familiar with the Southern and Eastern jungles—they were practically a starter zone. Aside from the boar (Piggy), whose grave grass was now ten feet high, there were barely any venomous insects or fierce beasts.
Hence, Chuck knew that the area below the cliff face was a dead end.
So, where else could he find a snake?
As an older Gen Z, Chuck had no experience hunting snakes or rabbits in the wild with friends. He could only surmise based on common sense that snakes were most likely to frequent areas with dense, moist vegetation.
Looking at the two paths leading from the stone beach above the cliff: the path North toward the volcanic hills seemed extremely dry.
If Chuck were a snake, he definitely wouldn't live there.
That left him with only one option: try his luck in this redwood forest.
Since this area had once been Hammy's territory, it shouldn't be immediately claimed by other animals. Therefore, Chuck didn't slow down at all, charging straight in and penetrating deep into the forest.
The surrounding tree trunks grew taller and taller, like massive stone pillars holding up the sky.
The light under the canopy was dim, casting mottled shadows on the thick layer of fallen leaves.
Chuck kept moving, heading west.
Since being stranded on the island, he had never been so intensely eager to encounter a dangerous animal.
His footsteps were swallowed by the heavy layer of decaying leaves and moss, leaving only the sound of his accelerating heartbeat and the wind.
Finally, as he sped forward, the terrain began to drop lower and lower, and the tall redwoods were gradually replaced by lower-lying trees.
It was then that Chuck suddenly halted.
Before him, two entirely different paths appeared again.
Continuing west, the terrain leveled out entirely, and the towering redwoods gave way completely to a dense, tropical jungle, thick with vegetation and vines, humming with insect noises.
To his left, heading south, the terrain dropped further, and the vegetation became sparse. Large patches of reeds appeared in the distance, seemingly a sizeable swamp or wetland.
Chuck frowned, his mind hyper-focused, all senses maxed out.
After exploring the island this many times, he was beginning to recognize a pattern.
The appearance of a new area before him meant that an unknown threat awaited him ahead.
As if to confirm his thoughts, a low, threatening growl suddenly echoed ahead, instantly tensing all of Chuck's muscles and nerves!
His gaze shot toward the source of the sound. His enhanced perception allowed him to lock onto the target immediately.
In the depths of the dark jungle ahead, a massive, pitch-black silhouette was vaguely visible.
Cold sweat instantly drenched his back. Chuck immediately held his breath, slowly concealing himself behind a tree. His heart pounded wildly.
If his eyes weren't playing tricks on him, that dark silhouette seemed to be a Black Bear!
Due to the dense vegetation, the behemoth hadn't spotted him yet. It was merely sniffing out his scent, still searching around.
If it found him, next year today would likely be Chuck's death anniversary.
Against the wild boar, Chuck could cleverly win using traps. Against Hammy, Chuck could trade wounds and emerge victorious in a head-on clash.
But against a Black Bear—a notoriously cunning, agile, and overwhelmingly strong beast—Chuck knew he had absolutely no chance!
In the face of imminent death, Chuck's mind went blank, but his body moved purely on instinct. The muscle memory from killing Hammy resurfaced in his mind.
Since the jungle to the west was the Black Bear's territory, he had to avoid confrontation.
Furthermore, his target for this trip wasn't a bear; it was snake bile.
The swamp to the south, with its lush vegetation and moist environment, would be the ideal place for a snake to make its home.
Chuck held his breath, slowed his movements, and, without exposing himself, slowly circled around, completely escaping the bear's line of sight, heading straight for the swamp.
Even after escaping the bear's sight, Chuck's heart continued to pound, not from fear, but from the high alert and excitement.
The air in the southern swamp was thick and humid, filled with reeds and the unique sweet, fetid smell of decaying plants and silt.
Chuck quickly surveyed the area and drew a conclusion.
This must have been a lake inside the island before the riverbed outside the mangrove forest shifted its course. As the upstream water dried up, the naturally low-lying area turned into a humid swamp.
He gripped his long spear, his eyes scanning the murky water and dense reeds like a hawk.
Being a swamp, the environment here was even more treacherous than the western jungle. The ground was wet and sticky, severely limiting Chuck's mobility. He had to be extremely cautious.
Suddenly, his gaze fixed on a spot not far ahead.
He saw a segment of what looked like deadwood, covered in dark brown and black patterns, lying between some dead logs and lush reeds.
The "deadwood" blended seamlessly into the swamp environment, but its contour was too round and smooth, and it was visibly, slowly wriggling.
Chuck instantly held his breath, a rush of ecstasy surging through him.
Found it!
But that was immediately followed by a feeling of intense difficulty.
Clearly, it was a python, and its size far exceeded Chuck's imagination.
The snake's body was nearly as thick as Chuck's bicep, and its length was unknown. The visible portion alone was at least three feet long.
Pythons are non-venomous, but they are undoubtedly one of the most terrifying predators. Even in Southeast Asian countries, there are annual reports of people being killed and swallowed by them.
Despite this, Chuck could not retreat.
After all, he had come here to kill a snake and harvest its bile!
Since he was determined to fight head-on, he had to seize the initiative, just like before.
Chuck slowly lowered his center of gravity, cautiously inching forward. He gripped his upgraded flint axe in his hand, trying to locate the python's head.
Aiming for the snake's "seven inches" (the heart area) wasn't entirely useless, but for a massive python like this, Chuck would be hard-pressed to locate its heart. Even if he did, the thick scales and massive body made it difficult to guarantee a lethal strike.
So, targeting the head was the better choice.
But just as he failed to find the head among the reeds, a monstrous triangular head suddenly emerged from the reeds right beside Chuck!
Chuck flinched violently. The snake's head instantly reared up, opening its terrifying maw and letting out a hiss. Its thick body suddenly began to move!
Its body is over there, but the head is way over here?!
It's too long!
"FUCK!"
Chuck roared, knowing there was no avoiding or escaping. He had no choice now.
I have to fight for my life!
The massive snake body churned up a cloud of murky water. Its cold yellow vertical pupils instantly locked onto Chuck. Without warning, it shot forward like a compressed spring. Its gigantic head, carrying a foul, fishy wind, opened its blood-red jaws wide enough to swallow him whole, lunging straight at his face!
The speed was absolutely unimaginable!
In the moment of life and death, Chuck's mind went blank, but his body moved instinctively. The muscle memory from killing Hammy resurfaced in his mind.
Instead of dodging or retreating, he engaged his core, twisted his hips, and channeled all his weight and strength into the long spear in his hand. He thrust it forward, directly into the predatory maw!
Pfft!
The combined effects of his two potions gave Chuck reaction time and strength beyond most humans. The Tusk Spear perfectly seized the split-second opportunity, piercing straight into the python's upper palate!
A gush of dark red blood instantly spurted out, splashing all over Chuck's head and face.
It hit?!
Even Chuck was momentarily stunned, amazed that his instinctive counterattack had actually worked. His spirit instantly surged, and he gripped the shaft of the spear tightly.
The upward-curved spear tip was firmly hooked into the soft tissue of the snake's mouth, so the more it struggled, the deeper the spear pierced.
Hiss—!
The giant python let out a distorted, painful shriek, violently thrashing its head to dislodge the foreign object. Chuck was yanked violently from side to side by the immense force, mud splashing under his feet, nearly dragging him down several times.
But the look on his face grew increasingly manic.
I have a chance, I have a chance!
I'll wear it down until it dies!
He gritted his teeth, every muscle in his body strained to the maximum. Even as his grip tore open, and blood stained the spear shaft, he held on as if he were welded to it.
But suddenly, the massive snake changed its strategy. Its body suddenly contracted, then whipped out like a giant leather lash, aiming to coil around his body!
Chuck's pupils constricted.
A python's most lethal attack is not its bite, but its constriction.
That thick body was almost pure muscle. The force of its coil could instantly crush a man's leg bones into powder!
In a flash, Chuck finally made a decision—
Abandon the spear!
Rolling through the muddy swamp, Chuck narrowly dodged the attack. Cold scales scraped past his back, sending a shiver through him.
But freed from the spear's restraint, the python became even more frantic. Dragging the spear still lodged in its jaw, it lunged at Chuck again, attempting to envelop his body.
Chuck scrambled and crawled through the mud, dodging the coils repeatedly. However, with the swamp's slowdown DEBUFF, his stamina bar plummeted like an avalanche.
With a stumble, the python finally seized its chance.
Its thick body mercilessly coiled around Chuck's two thighs, instantly tightening!
In a flash, the immense pressure made Chuck feel his leg bones were about to shatter, turning his eyes blood-red.
The shadow of death completely enveloped Chuck.
Am I going to die?
No.
How can I die here?!
"Aaaaargh!"
Chuck let out an unprecedented roar. Frantically, he reached out, using his last remaining strength, and grabbed the Tusk Spear lodged in the python's mouth.
He used every last ounce of his power, not to pull it out, but to thrust it further inward, toward the deeper part of the skull cavity!
Die?!
Let's see who kills who first—you crush me, or I stab you!
Black blood once again erupted from the python's mouth, splashing Chuck's face with a foul, hot spray.
The giant python shrieked wildly. Its body convulsed violently in the mud. Chuck's two legs gave off a sickening crunching sound. The indescribable pain made him gasp and vomit.
On the brink of losing consciousness, Chuck summoned a final burst of madness. He twisted the arm tightly clutching the spear!
Crack.
With the sound of shattering bone, the sharp tusk finally plunged directly into the python's skull cavity!
The python's massive body shuddered violently, but the strength constricting his legs finally failed to tighten further.
Chuck's vision went completely black, his ears rang. His hands released the spear, and his entire body slumped backward weakly, as if he would pass out at any second.
Following a series of tremors, the python's body slowly loosened its grip.
The entire snake's body suddenly lost all tension, dropping Chuck, who was utterly exhausted, onto the muddy swamp ground.
"Hee—aw… hee—aw…"
Chuck was covered in mud. His eyes were unfocused, and the sound coming from his chest with every breath was like a broken bellows.
He was in so much pain that he couldn't tell if his legs were broken or not. He could only lie weakly on the ground, gasping for air.
His consciousness gradually blurred, feeling light and airy, like he was drunk.
But suddenly, his body twitched, and his blurry pupils sharpened slightly.
No, it's not over yet!
If he passed out now, Gu Momo's body would probably be cold by the time he woke up!
Chuck gritted his teeth. Without an ounce of strength left, he could only rely on his remaining will to prop up his arms. Like a zombie who had lost its lower body, he crawled inch by inch toward the python's corpse.
Then, pulling out the bone knife from behind him, he plunged it viciously down!
Two hours later.
As the sun crossed the zenith, the temperature once again peaked for the day.
The humid air after the rain was suffocating. Under the shelter, Gu Yitong leaned against the bed, tightly holding Gu Momo's flushed small hand.
"Momo, you'll be fine. You absolutely will be fine."
Her tears were nearly spent. Watching Gu Momo's face grow paler and paler, she felt a helplessness and despair she had never experienced in her life.
Beside her, Julia's small face was also serious, her brows deeply furrowed.
She had followed Chuck's instructions and brewed a small bowl of medicinal broth using the herbs she had collected.
But it was only a drop in the ocean.
However, more than Gu Momo, the person she worried about was, of course, Chuck.
When Chuck left, he clearly looked like he was heading into danger, and so much time had passed...
Darling is so strong; he'll definitely be fine.
Her shoulders trembled slightly. While she tried to reassure herself in her heart, her gaze kept flicking toward the narrow ramp leading to the cliff edge.
Suddenly, Julia's eyes froze. She looked up sharply, and a look of pure ecstasy flashed across her small face.
She faintly heard a blurred sound slowly approaching from behind the ramp.