"Yes. The Black Snake. It's our god—the one who protects the village and all of Hangzhou!"
Tang Yue finally revealed, and Damon put on his best act despite already knowing everything. They walked past the West Lake and arrived near a small dock where a wooden boat awaited them. Together, they stepped aboard and drifted toward a secluded island in the middle of the lake.
The island's shape was strange—it resembled a giant "No Entry" sign, a circle enclosing a large cross, with water filling the spaces in between.
Following Tang Yue, Damon made his way to a structure at the island's center. The building was crafted from green tiles and red pillars, reflecting the region's traditional architectural style. Inside, the place was filled with antiques—tables covered in aged artifacts, and walls adorned with old paintings depicting ancient legends.
The murals portrayed humans and an indistinct demon beast. They showed a village surrounded by lakes and bizarre creatures encircling it in a ring.
Normally, Damon wouldn't have paid much attention to such things, but this time, he understood fragments of their meaning. He recalled the stories Tang Yue had told him earlier.
The vague demon beast in the drawings was coiled around the village. At first glance, it looked like two layers of protective walls—but it was actually a serpent. A massive snake encircled the village like a ring, while the surrounding monsters seemed to flee from it.
The truth was clear—they weren't running from the village but from the guardian serpent that protected it.
The ancient artist hadn't drawn the details precisely. Without knowing the story, one might never recognize that the ring was, in fact, a snake.
One painting even depicted a colossal serpent, at least ten times larger than the Black Snake of Hangzhou. Compared to it, the so-called guardian god seemed insignificant.
Fascinated, Damon examined the relics more closely, feeling that he was getting closer to uncovering the secrets of the ancient totem that had once shielded humanity itself.
"Fascinating…" Damon muttered.
He and Tang Yue spent hours on the island—talking, sharing stories, and delving deeper into the history of the totem and its myths.
When it was finally time to leave, Tang Yue hesitated, her expression complicated. She wanted to say something but seemed unsure how to begin.
"Tell me, what is it that you need?" Damon asked with a faint, knowing smile.
"The god undergoes ecdysis every ten years," Tang Yue began softly. "The next cycle will happen soon. The Head of the Magic Court and Heiyu have tasked me with overseeing the process and selecting a few capable individuals. During ecdysis, the god becomes extremely weak—its only moment of vulnerability. Natural enemies or those harboring ill intent could take advantage of this and strike. Before the shedding, it becomes sensitive and unstable—it may go berserk at the slightest threat. That's why it appeared in the city's center recently. Normally, it would remain sealed."
"So what does that have to do with me?" Damon asked.
"Frankly, we suspect someone in our tribe is working with our enemies," Tang Yue explained. "No matter how carefully we act, word could still leak out. I proposed to the Head that we involve an outsider—someone trustworthy and not tied to us."
"So I'm the outsider you trust?" Damon asked.
Tang Yue smiled faintly, her eyes gleaming like starlight.
"I trust you, Damon. That's why I've shared this secret. You're independent, unbound by any faction, and your record is clean. More importantly, you are capable. I know you'll be a great help to your teacher."
She bowed slightly, her tone sincere. Damon was startled and quickly stopped her.
"No need for that. I'll help, okay? There's no need to bow."
He gently placed his hands on her shoulders, not allowing her to lower herself. She had guided him through countless challenges, Damon deeply respected her as a teacher and mentor—seeing her bow to him felt wrong.
"Thank you," Tang Yue said, her expression softening. "I'll make sure to repay this favor one day."
Damon could tell how deeply she cared for the Black Snake. She had once told him she saw it as her father figure—a guardian who had watched over her since childhood.
But before the warmth could linger, Tang Yue's face darkened. Her eyes fixed on her phone, anger rising in them.
"Ridiculous… this is ridiculous!" she burst out.
"What happened?" Damon asked.
"They're plotting to frame the Black Snake!" she said through gritted teeth.
A sharp tone came from her phone, and she answered it with a frown. Damon could tell from her expression that it was someone from the higher-ups.
After a brief exchange, she ended the call abruptly.
"Come with me," Tang Yue said, turning sharply.
"Where are we going?" Damon asked as Tang Yue dragged him.
"To the Enforcement Union's meeting room."
***
Maybe the timeline had shifted, or perhaps Damon's actions had altered events—but the meeting concerning the Black Snake was convened much sooner than expected.
The surge of public and media attention, amplified by the rapidly expanding internet age, pressured the higher-ups to act swiftly.
Damon and Tang Yue arrived at the Enforcement Union headquarters, entering the grand meeting hall. Tang Yue used her personal privileges to bring Damon along.
"I'm here to eliminate the threat in the West Lake and restore peace to Hangzhou. You'd better hand over the Skyscraping Snake to us!"
The commanding voice of Zhu Meng, a senator of the Enforcement Union, immediately drew their attention.
The matter was grave. The sudden appearance of the snake had thrown the city into chaos, and reports of corpses found infected with strange poison only fueled the panic. Zhu Meng, known for his uncompromising stance against magical threats, had taken personal charge of the issue.
He was infamous for his threat elimination programs—slaying any magical creature he deemed dangerous to society, regardless of the consequences.
'Talking about killing rulers like that? Has he gone mad?' Damon thought to himself.
Rulers—or monarchs, as they were often called—were beings equivalent to super mages in the human world. Each had dominion over vast territories, regions humans were strictly forbidden to enter.
Even a team of elite super mages would struggle against a weak monarch, let alone a powerful one. Their might was overwhelming, their existence commanding awe and fear alike.
Killing even a single monarch could cost any organization dearly—and worse, it could provoke retaliation from neighboring monarchs constantly vying for control over adjacent lands.
'And here this man talks about challenging a powerhouse like that... how ridiculous,' Damon mused, inwardly mocking the senator's arrogance as the meeting carried on.
He could have simply stood aside and let the events unfold as they were meant to. But Damon had no intention of just watching this time.
"Your claims sound rather foolish, don't they, Senator?"