Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  Nan Zhi used a towel to dry her hair after she entered the room.

  In her hurry to leave the city, she did not have much time to prepare and her phone battery was now flat. She planned to borrow Auntie He’s phone to call Xiaojie later.

  As she walked by the bed, a hissing sound resonated in the quiet room. Confused, Nan Zhi looked down when she realized the sound came from under the bed.

  A long and thin snake suddenly appeared from under the bed.

  Nan Zhi immediately paled from fear as she let out a piercing scream. With no time to think, she threw the towel to the ground and stumbled towards the door with both her legs trembling.

  The snakes under the bed increased in numbers. They all bared their fangs and their tongues flicked out in a fierce manner. They swarmed towards the direction Nan Zhi escaped in a strange manner, as if in a hypnotic trance.

  Auntie He ran in from the living room after she heard the scream. She was equally scared after she saw the countless number of snakes.

  “Auntie He, run! Quickly!” Nan Zhi was terrified of this type of cold-blooded animal. One snake alone was enough to make her tremble in fear, not to mention, so many of them.

  Nan Zhi and Auntie He ran in desperation towards the entrance.

  However, the door was locked from the outside by someone and no matter how they turned the handle and threw themselves at the door, they couldn’t get out.

  There wasn’t any time left.

  Those snakes were now amassing in a terrifying group as their serpentine eyes focused on Nan Zhi and Auntie He like live prey. They swarmed at them in a mad rush.

  Nan Zhi and Auntie He had their backs up against the entrance door. They were almost cornered. They ran towards the back door again.

  However, the back door was locked from the outside as well.

  What could they do?

  They could not get out of the house, they could not go to the rooms. The doors in the countryside had gaps under them. Those thin and long snakes would be able to get through those gaps with no difficulty at all.

  Nan Zhi pounded her hands on the doors in desperation as she shouted loudly, “Help! Help! Is anyone there! Please! Please help!”


  Auntie He stood in front of Nan Zhi with a pale face. “Xiao Zhi, Auntie He is old already. I’m not afraid of death, I’ll protect you.”


  Nan Zhi’s tears that she had suppressed for a very long time, fell uncontrollably.

  She would never have imagined that death was so close to Auntie He and her.

  The back door was suddenly knocked loudly by someone. “Is someone in there?”


  Nan Zhi seemed to have heard the voice of a saviour. She nodded her head like a madwoman even though she knew that the person outside could not see her. “There is! We’re in here! Many snakes suddenly appeared inside and we’re locked inside. Can you please, please help us open the door?”


  A man’s clear and cold voice replied almost right after Nan Zhi finished speaking. “Stand back by the wall first, I’m going to kick the door open.”


  Nan Zhi immediately pulled Auntie He to stand by the wall. With a pale face, she responded quickly, “We’re by the door now.”


  A few seconds later, the door was kicked open with a loud bang. A tall and handsome silhouette appeared at the entrance.

  Nan Zhi pulled Auntie He along as they ran outside. She did not notice a snake suddenly changing its direction as it slithered quickly towards her.

  “Be careful!”


  The man suddenly turned and shielded Nan Zhi, pushing her behind him. With sharp fangs bared, the snake pierced the man’s arm and held on relentlessly.

  The man clenched his jaw as he used his other hand to grab the snake and pulled it out, before slamming it to the ground, hard.

  “Let’s get out of here!” The man pushed Nan Zhi and Auntie He out of the house before he closed the door again. They ran till their lungs were about to collapse, they had to get as far as they could.

  The three of them only stopped after they ran for a long while.

  The man’s face was slightly pale. He tore his sleeve and took out a dagger. Drawing a cross with the blade at the spot he was bitten, he squeezed out the venom with his brows furrowed and he let out a hiss of pain.

  It was only then, under the moonlight, that Nan Zhi only just realized that the man was injured.

  “Are you okay……?” Her voice was hesitant and man suddenly looked up at her before Nan Zhi could finish her words.

  It was then that Nan Zhi finally saw the man’s face.

  He was incredibly handsome, with a chiselled jawline and good-looking features. Looking at his face, from his gentle-looking eyebrows, his defined nose to his curved lips, it all combined together to form a refreshing and handsome face.

  His eyes were clear and focused, like a flowing stream under the night sky. They were brighter than the stars in the night sky.

  Nan Zhi opened her mouth in disbelief. Her throat seemed to have caught her voice and left it stranded. After a long silence, it was broken only by her stammering voice. “Brother Gu Sheng?”