Chapter 42: Snake Scales

"Clang!"

A crisp sound, like metal colliding, echoed repeatedly through the vast space of the cave, accompanied by fleeting sparks dancing in the frigid air.

[Whirlwind Slash]

An arc of iron-gray sword light whistled through the air, striking the pitch-black scales in the blink of an eye.

"Ah... ow, ow, ow."

Xia Nan felt a numbing, jarring recoil surge up from the hilt of his sword, instantly rendering half of his body sensationless.

Immediately following that was the excruciating pain radiating from beneath the splint and bandages on his right hand.

He sat on the ground for a long while, his back soaked in sweat, before he finally managed to catch his breath.

Leaning tiredly against the stone wall, he stared at the massive serpentine body before him, which was as thick as a locomotive.

He glanced up at the hideous snake head above, its cold, emerald eyes still wide open, staring down at him.

He couldn't help but sigh.

"As I thought, was I being too naive?"

Driven by the whimsical ideas in his mind, Xia Nan had just been enthusiastically carrying out his plan to collect trophies.

Though he didn't know the specific species of this black snake, whether it was the scales or the gallbladder, bringing them back to town would likely yield a significant profit.

However, this giant serpent, so massive it defied common imagination, seemed to possess defensive capabilities comparable to the most advanced armored vehicles.

Slashing, chopping, prying, drilling...

Over the past few dozen minutes, Xia Nan had exhausted all his strength, trying countless methods.

In the end, he had even pushed through his injuries to force a [Whirlwind Slash], yet he had made no progress whatsoever.

He even suspected that those cold, smooth black scales could easily withstand bullets and explosives from a technological world.

Under these circumstances, the dagger and longsword in Xia Nan's hands were to the snake's body what humanity's "Droplet" was to the Trisolarans in science fiction novels from his previous life—primitive and powerless.

He had also attempted to climb the long body of the snake, hoping to reach the spot where the giant's body was pinned to the cave ceiling by stone spikes—

The scales there were bound to be breached, and perhaps he could scavenge some fragments or even a few drops of blood.

That, too, ended in failure.

While the scales appeared angular and distinct, the gaps between them were extremely tight, making it impossible to dig his fingers in for leverage; the edges were so sharp that any slight pressure would result in a bleeding wound on his hands.

Furthermore, the giant snake was suspended from the cave ceiling. Even if he did manage to climb up, a fall from that height would mean instant death, something even healing potions couldn't save him from.

Supporting himself with his intact left arm, Xia Nan slowly rose against the stone wall, his decapitation longsword already sheathed.

Having witnessed the vast array of monster trophy collection methods in the [Adventurer's Handbook], he knew exactly how many precious treasures were hidden within a serpent of this size.

"It's frustrating."

His expression was complicated as he forced himself to look away.

He couldn't let himself get stuck in a dead end.

No matter how much effort or thought he poured into it, if it couldn't be done, it couldn't be done.

"I'll come back another time, if there's a chance."

The most important thing right now was to find the exit to this godforsaken place.

Xia Nan exhaled slowly, calming his breathing while trying to pull his spirits back up.

He carefully surveyed the open cavern he was currently in.

Unlike the deep, narrow tunnels he had passed through earlier, the glowing fungal colonies on the surrounding stone walls were exceptionally active, filling the space with a dim blue light.

This allowed Xia Nan to observe the details that should have been hidden in the darkness with clarity.

"There are heavy friction and impact marks on both sides of the stone walls; they must have been left by this giant snake during its lifetime."

"Given the size of this snake, the passage I came through earlier was far too small."

"Is there another exit, or is there some other reason?"

"The human remains that were scattered everywhere just now... there isn't a single one here now..."

"Hmm?"

Xia Nan's gaze suddenly paused.

His eyes drifted toward a corner deep within the cave.

A flash of pallor caught his eye.

Approaching closer, he found the skeletal remains of a human slumped against the wall.

Unlike the scattered bones he had encountered previously, although this body had also become a skeleton, it was relatively well-preserved.

The shins, pelvis, ribs, skull...

There were even several fragments of navy-blue cloth draped over it, faintly revealing the style of a former "robe."

But the most striking feature was in the center of the corpse's chest: a single, pitch-black scale that had pierced straight through the spine and embedded itself into the stone wall.

"This is...?"

Xia Nan's eyes lit up, feeling a sudden surge of joy, like finding a way out in a dark forest.

"Excuse me," he whispered to the corpse before walking straight forward.

Using both hands, he wrenched the scale from the stone wall.

He held it in his palm, examining it closely.

The scale itself was diamond-shaped, roughly the length of a forearm. Its surface was a deep, lustrous black, feeling cold and smooth to the touch, possessing both immense hardness and a perceptible toughness.

Without a doubt, this diamond-shaped scale in Xia Nan's hand was the very Steel-Tough Serpent Scale that he had exhausted all his energy trying to obtain earlier.

Recalling the exaggerated defensive power that had left not even a single scratch on its surface despite his [Whirlwind Slash], a wave of emotion rose in his heart.

Once he returned, perhaps he could find the blacksmith in River Valley Town to help him craft a piece of equipment using this scale as the primary material.

"It should be 'Rock Hammer,' I remember they offer custom services."

To fully utilize its defensive properties, it would be best to turn it into armor or a shield.

However, it might not be large enough, and if it were a shield, he might need to find a way to learn the relevant combat techniques.

Considering the sharpness of its edges, perhaps a small weapon was also an option?

"I'll decide when I get back."

Xia Nan shook his head.

He carefully tucked the scale into the depths of his backpack.

He suddenly felt that his cautious manner was a bit ridiculous.

If something truly went wrong, given the defensive strength this scale had just demonstrated, he would likely be reduced to ashes before the scale even sustained a scratch.

The unexpected windfall boosted his mood.

He had intended to leave just like that, but then he suddenly noticed something else.

Beside the remains lay a worn wooden sword, covered in dust and marked by the passage of time.

To be safe, Xia Nan held his breath and focused his gaze on the wooden sword.

Then, unexpectedly.

A long string of translucent information surfaced before his eyes.