Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

The blacksmith took the check and casually slipped her a cardboard business card with a gear pattern on it.

"If you have any business in the future, write to me or come directly to my place."

"As long as it's metal, there's no metal I can't hammer out."

Xilun nodded slightly and put the business card away.

He skillfully disassembled the spear, restored it to its original black umbrella form, then hung the umbrella on his arm and turned to walk out of the basement.

Pushing open the door, a bone-chilling cold rushed out.

Xilun then noticed that it had started to rain a little outside.

Fine raindrops fell obliquely under the dim yellow gaslight, hitting the waterlogged stone pavement and splashing up ripples.

Xilun opened the black umbrella covered in sharkskin, looking thoughtfully at the strong wind that was beginning to pick up outside.

"It seems to have gotten colder today."

The raindrops pattered against the rough surface of the umbrella, making a dull sound.

A cold wind howled through the cracks in the street, swirling up fallen leaves.

At this temperature, ordinary people would probably need to start wearing cotton-padded coats.

Xilun tightened his black trench coat, waded through the puddles, and headed towards the ocean pier on the Greywater River.

……

10:45 p.m.

Xilun arrived at the dock on time.

Pushing open the door to Yuri's office, a strong smell of tobacco filled the air.

Yuri was standing in front of a large desk, looking down at the hydrological map spread out on the table, his brows furrowed, and he was constantly drawing on it with red and blue pencils in his hand.

Hearing the door open, Yuri looked up. Upon seeing it was Xiren, his tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly, and a smile appeared on his face.

"How was the harvest?" Yuri's gaze lingered for a moment on the black umbrella in Xiren's hand.

Xilun shook the water droplets off the umbrella and laughed, "It's pretty good, I've got a handy tool."

Yuri was a smart man, and without asking further details about the weapon, he nodded and said:

"That's good. Tonight's operation cannot afford to fail."

He pondered for a moment, then pointed to the map and said, "I am planning a relatively safe route to avoid those treacherous undercurrents."

Meanwhile, he was still handling the final details of preparing the bait. "You go and rest for a bit; we'll be off soon."

Seeing that Yuri was still busy, Xiren didn't disturb him.

He turned and walked out of the office to the riverbank.

Under the cover of night, the Greywater River resembles a rolling black dragon, its depths unfathomable.

A cool breeze blew by, carrying moisture from the river, bringing a chill to my body.

However, Xilun was physically strong and didn't feel cold.

He looked down at the churning water, lost in thought.

The river looks pitch black. With the weather so cold, how cold must it be underwater?

The giant python lurking in this environment must have a significant geographical advantage.

Although I had just acquired a top-tier weapon and had briefly wielded it at the blacksmith's shop, it had not yet undergone formal combat testing.

"Hopefully nothing goes wrong..."

Just as I was lost in thought, a series of heavy footsteps came from behind me.

Lothas, wearing a heavy waterproof leather coat and looking somewhat pale, walked over and stood side by side with Siron.

"What, worried about what's going on later?" Losas handed over a cigarette.

Xilun waved his hand in refusal and nodded slightly: "That beast is not simple."

Lothar gave a wry smile, lit a cigarette, and took a deep drag.

"We might be in trouble, but you'll definitely be fine."

Lothas exhaled a puff of smoke, his tone complicated, "Lord Yuri said in the meeting this afternoon that you should prioritize your own safety."

Besides, Lord Yuri's ship is right behind us, providing cover. If we can hold him off for a while, we can catch the snake once he finds an opening.

Losath paused, then consoled himself:

"That snake was injured, so its strength is definitely not at its peak anymore."

After saying that, Losas suddenly sighed and looked at Xiren with a deep gaze.

"It's really unbelievable."

"In just seven or eight months, you went from a lowly laborer to a baptized person, and now you are valued so highly by Lord Lothas."

Lothas shook his head with a sigh.

Although he was not Yuri's close confidant, he was not considered an enemy faction either.

I've worked diligently in the fraternity for six or seven years, shedding blood and risking my life, but my current status and level of respect are not as good as that of Xilun, who has only been a member for a few months.

Xiren glanced at Losas, noticing the wrinkles around his eyes, and was momentarily at a loss for words to offer comfort.

Lothar, however, figured it out himself and gave a self-deprecating laugh.

"Indeed, your extraordinary talent is indeed impressive; you were even able to defeat a monster like Marshall in the ring."

"I'm afraid that in a few more years, you'll become a powerful figure like Lord Yuri, ruling over an entire region."

Rosas flicked the cigarette butt into the icy river and let out a long breath.

"I don't know why, but I have a bad feeling tonight."

The river is so still... I hope this is just my imagination.

Just then, the office door was pushed open.

Yuri, wearing a black overcoat, came out and waved to the two people on the shore.

"Time's up, everyone gather here!"

Xilun tightened the umbrella, gripped it tightly in his hand, and strode over.

A moment later, the group arrived at the pier.

Two medium-sized ships were moored on the river.

Yuri stood on the shore, his face grim, and gave the final instructions.

"Proceed according to the original plan, departing one after the other."

The ship in front is responsible for direct containment.

The team consists of three people: Celen, Losas, and Marco.

Xilun was the first to step onto the deck, walk to the bow of the ship, hold the black umbrella in front of him, and warily scan the dark river surface around him.

Lothar followed closely behind, panting heavily, seemingly trying to calm his nerves.

Marco was the last to dawdle onto the ship. His face was somber, his legs were even trembling slightly, and deep in his eyes was an undisguised fear.

In the center of their ship's deck lay a huge black canvas bag.

The bag was slightly open, and inside it was filled with a bag of scarlet chunks of meat.

That was specially prepared for exotic species like pythons, a nourishing food that they loved to eat.

This thing is quite valuable and has a strong smell of blood, making it an excellent bait to lure snakes out of their holes.

On the ship behind them, about sixty or seventy meters away, was Yuri's vehicle.

Yuri stood alone at the bow of the boat, silently gazing at the river ahead, his eyes revealing a cold calculation.

"Hopefully, this alien species will take the bait," Losas muttered to himself.

……

The icy river wind howled across the deck, bringing a bone-chilling cold.

The steamship ahead cut through the dark river water with a deep rumble, slowly heading towards the deeper waters of the Greywater River.

Lothas stood outside the cockpit, his hands gripping the cold railing tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force.

"I just hope tonight ends soon."

Lothas stared at the churning water, his voice sounding somewhat faint in the wind, "Otherwise, if we let this alien creature lurk again and attack the docks, who knows who will lose their life next time."

Marco, who was huddled in a corner of the deck, suddenly looked up when he heard this.

His sallow face was etched with fear and resistance, and his eyes were bloodshot.

"Why did you take the bait?!"

Marco's voice became shrill due to extreme tension, "What if we get killed by the aliens?"

I've seen that aberration before! It can easily tear apart a first-tier extraordinary being in just a few moves! We're basically going to our deaths!

Lothar turned his head, glared fiercely at Marco, and said in a low voice, "..."

"Shut up! Even so, we have to go!"

Otherwise, if this alien species continues to occupy our territory, and it attacks the docks again, we might be the ones who die!

Do you think you can escape?

Marco gritted his teeth, his chest heaving violently.

"If it attacks the docks, as long as I can outrun the other overseers or those lowly laborers, won't that be enough?"

Why fight it head-on here and risk your life!

Upon hearing this, Lothar frowned deeply, a flash of disgust and anger crossing his eyes.

He suddenly stepped forward, grabbed Marco by the collar, and lifted him up from the corner.

"Marco! Don't forget your duty!"

Lothas hissed, spitting in the other man's face, "We're the district governors! We take the Brotherhood's money and resources, so we have to do our jobs!"

Killing this mutant will benefit us all. If you dare to slack off at this crucial moment, even without the mutant eating you, Lord Yuri can shoot you dead from behind!

Marco was intimidated by the fierce look in Losas's eyes, and his Adam's apple bobbed with difficulty.

He didn't say anything more, but his eyes were lowered, and a trace of despair and unwillingness flashed in his eyes, like a trapped beast forced into a corner.

Siren stood quietly at the bow of the ship, ignoring the arguing behind him.

He held the black umbrella in one hand, his body as straight as a javelin, rooted to the deck.

The wind on the river was strong, making his black trench coat flutter loudly.

He didn't keep his "Far-Ahead Listening" talent active all the time. Although that talent allowed him to perceive all the subtle sounds around him, it was extremely mentally taxing.

In this protracted tug-of-war that could last for an unknown period, continuing to keep it running would be tantamount to suicide.

Therefore, he chose to keep a close eye on the movements on the water's surface.

Time passed by, second by second.

The boat has entered the deepest and darkest part of the Greywater River.

The stench of blood from the black canvas bag in the center of the deck began to spread wildly into the surrounding waters as the river breeze blew.

That nauseatingly sweet, bloody smell is an irresistible and deadly temptation for cold-blooded predators underwater.

About 60 or 70 meters behind, Yuri's boat followed quietly.

Yuri stood in the shadow of the searchlight, a cup of hot coffee in his hand, his gaze coldly fixed on the decoy ship ahead.

"It should be soon..." Yuri muttered to himself.

suddenly!

Xilun's pupils suddenly contracted.

At the edge of his vision, the black waves that had been undulating with the wind suddenly showed an extremely subtle unnaturalness.

It was an undercurrent flowing against the current!

It was as if a massive steam train was lurking underwater, skimming along the riverbed, silently and with extreme ferocity, rapidly approaching their ship.

"They're here!"

Xilun shouted, his voice booming like thunder across the quiet deck.

Lothar shuddered, immediately releasing Marco and drawing two barbed steel chain scythes from his waist.

Marco was so frightened that he collapsed onto the deck and scrambled to hide in the cabin.

Almost the instant Xilun finished speaking.

boom--!!!

Without warning, the river surface to the starboard side of the ship exploded with a deafening roar!

Water droplets poured down like a torrential downpour.

Within the curtain of water, an enormous, terrifying snake head covered in mottled yellow and black scales burst forth from the water, accompanied by a suffocatingly foul stench!

Those vertical pupils, as large as lanterns, gleamed with a cold and cruel light in the darkness, fixedly on the bag of bait in the center of the deck, which exuded a strong aura of blood.

At the same time, the giant python's massive body, as thick as a water bucket, rose higher, extending seven or eight meters above the water, hovering in mid-air like a towering stone pillar.

Between its scales, one could even see faint blue arcs of electricity leaping wildly, crackling and popping.

A terrifying, extreme pressure instantly enveloped the entire ship.

"Gulp..." Lothar swallowed hard, his hands gripping the chain scythe trembling uncontrollably.

This beast is even bigger than described in the file!

The giant python did not pause for a moment.

It opened its gaping maw, large enough to swallow an adult buffalo whole, revealing two rows of venomous fangs like inverted blades. With the force of a mountain crashing down, it slammed down directly onto the bait in the center of the deck, and Marco, who was closest to the bait!

A foul stench filled the air!

"Help--!!!"

Marco let out a pig-like scream, his legs went weak, completely immobilized by the terrifying oppressive feeling, unable to even muster the strength to dodge.

"Get out of the way!"

At this critical moment.

Xilun moved.

The "Great Sea Whale Guiding Technique" within his body was instantly activated to its limit, and the violent blood energy of the third level surged through his blood vessels like a flood bursting its banks.

Instead of rescuing Marco, he pushed off the deck with both legs and charged forward like a cannonball, heading straight for the giant snake's head!

While in mid-air, Xilun's thumb had already precisely pressed the hidden mechanism on the umbrella handle.

boom!

Ejector mechanism.

The instant the umbrella handle detached, a section of silver-gray alloy gun barrel, bearing a chilling spearhead, shot out.

Crack!

With a crisp metallic clang, a 2.4-meter-long heavy spear instantly took shape!

Xilun gripped the gun barrel with both hands, his waist and stance perfectly aligned, pouring all his terrifying power into this top-of-the-line military-grade alloy gun.

The heavy spear, measuring two meters and four inches in length, emitted a sharp, teeth-grinding blast under the extreme pressure of compressed air.

"boom!"

Xilun roared, the tip of his spear tearing through the air with a sharp bang, carrying a dark golden aura of blood, and aimed precisely at the giant python's vulnerable jaw.

The spear tip tore through the air, striking the terrifying snake head, which crashed down like a small mountain, with perfect accuracy.

The water surface exploded with a roar under the violent impact, creating towering waves several meters high. The entire ship rocked violently, and the wooden deck groaned under the strain.