Third person's POV
Tears streamed down Misha's face as she said, "You're still thinking about her even like this."
Alvin turned to Alban and asked, "Dr. Weaver, what do we do now that Alpha Derek is in this state?"
"Have they identified the specific toxins yet?"
"Here it is, here it is!" Kamp approached with the freshly analyzed results.
"Dr. Weaver, can we save Alpha Derek once we know the components?"
"No, I can't save him. We need to go to Venomhollow," Alban instructed urgently.
"What kind of place is that?"
"It's an ancient village on the edge of the primeval forest. Most of the villagers deal with poisons, much like those special groups in the U.S. studying mysterious biological toxins. To save Derek, we need to find them. Perhaps they have a cure."
Misha, realizing how severe Derek's poisoning was, asked, "And what about me, Dr. Weaver?"
"You're coming too. If we need a blood transfusion, we'll still rely on you. We can't afford to delay. Let's get going before it's too late to save this guy."
Venomhollow was an ancient hamlet nestled on the fringe of the primeval forest, beyond the jurisdiction of any nation.
Surrounded by toxic flora and the activities of dangerous, mysterious organizations, it seldom saw visitors.
Years prior, Alban had stumbled upon this village under the guidance of his mentor and still recalled the method of entry.
The village was shrouded in miasma, with sheer cliffs to the north.
Ordinary intruders risked death from venomous bites or poisoning by the miasma.
Fortunately, Alban had come prepared. Everyone donned protective suits and gas masks, and with Derek in tow, they cautiously made their way into the village.
Derek's condition worsened by the minute, his consciousness beginning to fade.
Rolf, new to such bizarre surroundings, was on edge.
Despite his protective gear, he could see venomous snakes and scorpions skittering about at his feet.
"Hiss..."
"Did you hear that hissing sound?"
"There are plenty of snakes here. It's normal to hear them," Alvin replied calmly from Derek's side.
"But this hissing sounds different from the others."
"You're just scaring yourself."
Rolf tiptoed forward.
Suddenly, a spider larger than his fist dropped from a tree. "Oh my gosh!"
Alvin frowned, "This place is near the tropical rainforest. It's normal to have large animals. Haven't you watched Animal World? In the Amazon, there are even anacondas dozens of meters long."
At Rolf's age, he was still jumpy, which both annoyed and exasperated Alvin.
Suddenly, Rolf's eyes bulged, and his voice trembled, "D-did you see that over there…?"
"What did you see now?" Alvin was about to reprimand him when he looked up and spotted a massive, elongated figure emerging from the miasma.
Rolf's legs shook uncontrollably, "I-is that the legendary rooster snake?"
"I told you not to read all those nonsensical novels. There's no such thing as a rooster snake. Given its size, it's definitely a python, and pythons aren't venomous," Alvin said.
No sooner had he spoken than the massive figure drew closer, revealing a slowly approaching fire-red serpent.
"Does that look like a python to you? It's clearly a highly venomous snake!"
Alvin was speechless.
Indeed, in such a bizarre place, one couldn't rely on conventional thinking.
But he remained composed, after all, they had advanced weaponry.
"Everyone stay alert and prepare to attack at any moment."
This enormous snake, not only venomous but also massive enough to swallow a person whole, was far more terrifying than the smaller snakes and scorpions.
Alban raised his hand as a signal, "Wait a moment. Don't attack it. We don't want to provoke it."
The snake coiled its tail, its triangular head sizing up the group, showing no immediate intention to attack.
However, its tail began to rap the ground rapidly, and its forked tongue flicked through the air, clearly sensing the humans around it.
"No! It's about to attack. Everyone get ready, protect Alpha Derek!"
As the snake was about to strike, Rolf's throat convulsed with nervous saliva.
Just as the snake began to move, a peculiar tune suddenly emanated from the forest.
The sound was unlike any instrument they recognized, and strangely, the massive red snake visibly calmed upon hearing it.
As the group's tension threatened to burst their hearts, they witnessed a figure emerging from the mist.
More precisely, a child.
A diminutive girl, clad in a garment of colorful cloth, adorned with bizarre jewelry woven from threads of five hues around her neck.
In her hand, she held a green leaf, from which the melody seemed to emanate.
The giant red snake slithered toward her, and Rolf instinctively cried out, "Watch out!"
In the next moment, the group watched in astonishment as the massive serpent lifted the little girl aloft.