Chapter 26: Doomsday Hunt

Worried that Liu Feng and his lackeys might be standing at the window observing him and Snow Cake, Han Ning had his Animal Companion submerge itself underwater while he swam to the entrance of the residential complex. Standing in a blind spot beneath the main gate, he summoned Snow Cake with his mind.

SPLASH.

The water to his front left rippled as Snow Cake slowly swam to his side.

"I'll leave the rest to you."

Han Ning took a step forward and carefully laid on Snow Cake's relatively flat back. He wrapped his arms around its thick neck and clamped his legs tightly around its cold body. This was a method he had come up with to move quickly through the water. Relying on a human walking upright through the floodwaters, or even swimming, was simply too slow. Snow Cake possessed considerable strength; dragging an adult like him shouldn't be a major issue.

"Let's go!"

"AWOO!"

The moment the command was given, Snow Cake's thick tail swung fiercely.

SPLASH!

Water sprayed in all directions as a powerful thrust came from beneath him. Han Ning felt his body lighten. He was carried forward, tearing through the muddy water like he was riding a small, fully throttled motorboat, speeding away toward the east.

Snow Cake's underwater speed far exceeded Han Ning's imagination. Its streamlined body barely kicked up any large waves. Its four limbs paddled rapidly, and its thick tail provided thrust like a propeller. The murky water rushed at them, carrying a fishy, earthy smell, and slapped coldly against Han Ning's face. Because his current build was larger than Snow Cake's, the lower half of his body was partially submerged in the water. Enduring the friction between his body and the water's surface was highly uncomfortable, so he could only squint and struggle to make out the blurry scenery ahead.

[Animal Companion (Middle Level) Skill Level +1, Current 55/200]

Along the way, they encountered crooked streetlamp poles, half-sunken car roofs, and floating trash cans. Snow Cake nimbly dodged every obstacle without much decrease in speed. At a full-speed sprint, covering the distance of several hundred meters took only four or five short minutes.

Ahead, a relatively open stretch of water appeared. The terrain here was slightly lower. On the murky water's surface, the mostly submerged roofs of several pavilions and the crooked canopies of landscaping trees were faintly visible. After Han Ning's repeated confirmations, this was the area with the lowest monster density on the way to Bailu Port—Blue Bay Park.

"Head to the front right. There's a public restroom there," Han Ning pointed at a square building not far away, of which only the roof and part of the walls were exposed above the water.

Snow Cake understood. Adjusting its direction, its speed increased instead of slowing down. Like a gray-and-white arrow released from a bowstring, it charged precisely toward the abandoned public restroom. Upon getting close, Han Ning let go of his arms and used his momentum to leap upward. His hands barely managed to grab the slippery tiled edge of the structure. Looking a bit disheveled, he scrambled onto the roof, which had only a shallow layer of standing water.

"WOO?"

Snow Cake did not follow him up. It submerged silently in the water, patrolling a circle around the public restroom. Only after confirming there was no danger did it quietly poke its head out from the other side, looking at Han Ning with an inquiring gaze.

The restroom's roof was about ten square meters, covered in a shallow layer of rainwater and bird droppings that emitted a faint smell of ammonia. The field of view here was wide, surrounded by relatively low water surfaces—it was an excellent ambush spot.

"Wait a moment." Han Ning wiped the water stains from his face and took off his backpack.

He pulled out a parcel sealed with multiple layers of plastic bags and carefully untied it. A stench mixed with rotting meat instantly permeated the air. Inside the bag were several raw chicken legs that had long since rotted and turned black.

"Hold this in your mouth." Han Ning handed the putrid-smelling chicken legs to Snow Cake's mouth.

GLUG GLUG...

Snow Cake nimbly grabbed the bone portion of the meat in its jaws. Rancid juices dripped from the corners of its mouth, blossoming into a small oil slick on the murky water's surface.

"Good. Now dive and search for other Crocodile Lizards inside the park," Han Ning issued another command. "Then, lure those things over here."

"HISS!"

Snow Cake gave a muffled response. With the chicken legs in its mouth, it abruptly sank its head, submerging its entire body into the muddy water. Han Ning flattened his body against the top of the restroom as much as possible, focusing a portion of his attention on Snow Cake. Centering around the restroom, the Animal Companion began to explore its surroundings.

Time ticked by by the minute. The raindrops beat densely against his black raincoat, letting out a monotonous patter. Han Ning lay motionless at the edge of the roof, his right palm pressed flat against the tiles.

Suddenly, a strong sense of alertness transmitted over from Snow Cake.

In his perception, two relatively massive dark shadows—like sharks catching the scent of blood—were rapidly approaching Snow Cake's position from the nearby murky waters!

"They're here!" Han Ning's heart tightened, and he immediately commanded Snow Cake. "Return quickly! Lure them to the base of the restroom wall!"

"HISS..."

Without any hesitation, Snow Cake accelerated back toward the restroom, still holding the rotten meat. At this moment, its straight-line distance from the restroom was three or four hundred meters. The two opposing Crocodile Lizards were larger than it, and their swimming speed was also a fraction faster.

The distance between the two sides rapidly closed.

Thirty meters... twenty meters... ten meters.

Just as the two Crocodile Lizards were about to rush in front of Snow Cake, their ferocious maws opening wide to snatch the rotting meat, Snow Cake successfully reached a spot within five meters of the restroom.

"Now! Let go and dive!" Han Ning's message arrived.

SWISH SWISH SWISH!

A full twelve vines, each as thick as three fingers, shot out from the top of the restroom. Six of the vines acted like precise lassos, wrapping around the limbs and long tail of the Crocodile Lizard charging at the forefront. The other six twisted toward the neck and abdomen of the Crocodile Lizard trailing behind.

"ROAR!"

Caught off guard, the leading Crocodile Lizard had its limbs and tail firmly bound by the tough vines. Its tremendous momentum was forcibly halted. It let out an angry and terrified roar, constantly twisting its body in an attempt to break free. Its grayish-white skin rubbed violently against the vine's thorns, producing a CREAKING noise as water splashed everywhere.

[Vine Technique Skill Level +2, Current 184/200]

"ROAR!!"

The other Crocodile Lizard reacted slightly faster. The moment the vines reached its body, it whipped its head around and bit at the incoming tendrils.

CRACK! CRACK!

Two vines snapped upon impact!

However, the remaining four vines still acted like maggots clinging to bone, tightly wrapping around its neck and one of its hind legs. Temporarily trapped in place, it could only madly scratch at the vines with its unrestrained front claws and violently thrash the water's surface with its tail.

"Snow Cake, attack the one in the back."

The one in the back was slightly smaller in size. It was better to eradicate the weaker one first.

"AWOO!"

Almost the instant the vines entangled their targets, Snow Cake had already released the rotten meat from its mouth according to orders, its body springing upward like a coiled wire.

SPLASH!

Water exploded outward as Snow Cake's head breached the surface. Its yellow, slit-like pupils locked onto the second Crocodile Lizard that was struggling frantically.

"ROAR!" Snow Cake let out a low, deep growl completely different from the other two Crocodile Lizards.

Its thick hind legs kicked fiercely against the slippery wall of the public restroom. Using the momentum, its entire body lunged through the air toward the temporarily restrained Crocodile Lizard in the back. Opening its bloody maw, it bit down fiercely on the relatively fragile side of the enemy's neck.

SQUELCH!

The chilling sound of sharp teeth piercing flesh rang out. Snow Cake's razor-sharp teeth sank deep into the Crocodile Lizard's neck.

"HOWL!!"

In a split second, dark red beast blood sprayed out, dyeing the muddy water red.