Chapter 24: The Art of Serpent Control

The old beggar had some tricks up his sleeve, and the black wooden staff in his hand held a hidden, lethal intent.

Among the various social strata and trades, beggars rank at the very bottom. However, a low ranking does not mean they lack skill. On the contrary, to survive at the very base of society, beggars have mastered many unique and unheard-of techniques. Any one of these skills, if unleashed, is enough to kill.

The technique this old beggar was currently employing was one such lethal art. As his black staff struck the ground with a rhythmic thud, not only did the living dead lunge toward me in sync with the beat, but a rustling sound suddenly erupted from the grass surrounding the bridge arch.

Following the sound, I saw white figures weaving through the gaps in the green grass. These figures scurried toward me with alarming speed, and before I knew it, they had already surrounded me.

I took a closer look and gasped. It was snakes!

Emerging from the thick grass in dense swarms were white, triangular-headed vipers, as thick as a child’s arm, flicking their tongues in the air.

Seeing my expression change, the old beggar let out a sinister laugh. "Well, Pocky? How do you like these little darlings? Don’t worry, there’s plenty more where these came from. If you think this isn't enough, I can get you more!"

I took a deep breath, and my expression quickly returned to normal. "Heh, I didn't expect an old beggar like you to know the art of serpent control; that’s quite a talent for your lot. But when it comes to snake charming, you beggars are mere amateurs. The true masters are in Western Hunan!"

In the mysterious underworld of legends and crafts, there is a group of people who specialize in controlling snakes. As far back as the Tang Dynasty, the great writer Liu Zongyuan wrote a dedicated essay documenting them. They were the snake catchers of Yongzhou, and the Yongzhou of the Tang Dynasty is today’s Western Hunan.

Passed down through generations, the art of the snake catchers has become increasingly miraculous. Not long ago, a snake king surnamed Lu from Western Hunan demonstrated a legendary skill: when villagers were bitten by venomous snakes, he would perform the "Summoning Art." With a single whistle, he could call the biting snake back and force it to spit out the antidote to save the victim. Such is the wonder of the snake catchers!

Back when I was at the mass grave, I happened to encounter a wandering spirit who hailed from a lineage of Western Hunan snake catchers. We hit it off, and through that fateful meeting, I managed to learn some of their techniques. Faced with the white snakes summoned by the old beggar, I gave a cold laugh and said in a deep voice, "Your amateur tricks are nothing but a joke in front of a Western Hunan snake catcher!"

The old beggar sneered, "Cut the bluffing, Pocky! We are in Yancheng, thousands of miles away from the wild lands of Western Hunan. Where do you expect to find a snake catcher from there?"

My face darkened, and I spoke sharply, "The answer is right before your eyes! Standing right in front of you is a successor to the snake catchers of Western Hunan! Today, I will show you who the true master of serpent control is!"

Before the words had even faded, I pressed my fingers to my lips and let out two sharp whistles, issuing commands to the white snakes covering the ground.

How profound is the snake-charming art of Western Hunan? It is far superior to the snake staff in the old beggar's hand. Receiving the higher-level commands from me, the vipers stopped in their tracks. After a moment of hesitation, they suddenly turned their aggression toward the old beggar, swarming him.

The old beggar was terrified. He frantically struck the ground with his black staff, shouting, "A bunch of idiots! You brainless beasts! The enemy is over there—go bite that pockmarked brat! Why are you coming at me? You morons!"

As he struggled to regain control of the snakes, I continued to whistle incessantly. The white snakes were clearly more willing to obey my commands than his. In an instant, the dense swarm of snakes chased after the old beggar, quickly surrounding him.

I looked at him coldly and said, "Old beggar, I’ll give you one more chance. Answer my question: was it you who blinded my wife all those years ago? If you cooperate, I might consider sparing your miserable life. If you insist on being stubborn, then tonight, you shall be the midnight snack for these vipers!"

Though surrounded by venomous snakes, the old beggar remained defiant. He brandished his staff, fighting off the snakes while sneering, "Pocky, I think you’re just full of hot air! If you have the guts, kill me! But let me tell you this: if you kill me, your cursed, ill-fated wife will die too! She’ll be buried with me tonight, hahahaha..."

My heart skipped a beat at his words! The tone and demeanor of the old beggar didn't seem like a bluff; he appeared to have another card up his sleeve.

A sudden chill ran down my spine as I realized something else: What if this old beggar wasn't the mastermind who blinded my wife? What if, like Director Song, he was merely a pawn in someone else’s game? Among the various trades, beggars are the lowest of the low; he would have no motive to blind the daughter of the Gu family. This meant there was someone else behind the scenes!

The conflict tonight was likely a trap set for me—a "luring the tiger from the mountain" scheme! The old beggar’s only goal was to stall me. Their true target was Gu Qianxi!

"Damn it, my wife!"

Realizing this, I stepped back, using the snakes to keep the old beggar and the living dead at bay, while mentally connecting with the paper dolls at home to return to the bedroom.

The scene shifted instantly to the master bedroom of the Gu villa. My foolishly cute wife was lying on the bed, holding her phone and watching a short drama, surrounded by layers of paper dolls. I was one of those dolls, and I turned around to assess the situation. It seemed the mastermind hadn’t made a move yet; Qianxi was safe for the moment.

"Wife! Wife!" I looked up and waved at Gu Qianxi.

"Pocky, you're back?" Hearing my voice, Gu Qianxi was overjoyed. She dropped her phone and sat up, only then realizing that the voice came from one of the paper dolls. "Huh? Why are you a paper doll? Pocky, what's wrong? Is there a situation?"

It seemed my wife wasn't foolish at all; she was quite sharp. I quickly explained, "Someone came to Gu Beitang to ask for my help, but it was a trap. I realize now it was a diversion—their real target is you!"

Upon hearing this, Gu Qianxi didn't worry about her own safety but asked anxiously, "What? Pocky, you were trapped? Are you in danger? What should we do? I... I want to come save you!"

Her words warmed my heart. I smiled and said, "Silly girl, don't worry, I'm fine. Your top priority is to keep yourself safe! If I’m not mistaken, someone will come to harm you very soon!"