Serpent's Claim

On the first day her father brought her to the research base, Lu Yuan came down with a high fever. With supplies yet to arrive in full, she could only endure the discomfort in a crude tent.

“Feeling any better, Yuan Yuan?”

At noon, her father returned from outside. The white lab coat he hadn’t had time to remove bore several stains—like dried mud, yet it gave off a strange, foul stench.

The feverish girl’s delicate features were slightly scrunched; her rosy cheeks flushed with an unnatural pallor. Clearly in great distress, her pretty, moon-shaped eyes brimmed with tears. With each flutter of her long lashes, a veil of mist seemed to thicken—pitiful beyond words.

“Daddy...”

Lu Yuan felt every breath was a struggle. Her body burned as if on fire, and she clutched the thin blanket, shivering uncontrollably.

Lu Sinan sat on the edge of the makeshift bed and reached out to feel her damp, fair forehead. The heat against his palm pained him deeply.

“Daddy shouldn’t have brought you here.”

Now past middle age, Dr. Lu still possessed a charming, scholarly appearance. His gold-rimmed glasses added to his refined, handsome look.

Ever since an unknown creature was discovered on the Southern Island, he had been closely following developments. For a fervent scientific researcher, this was an opportunity he could not miss.

So, the moment he received the notice, he brought Lu Yuan along with the first team of researchers and set sail. This wasn’t the first time he had taken his daughter on fieldwork. Over the years, he had brought his only child to many places for research. The difference this time was the extraordinary environment.

Her fever persisted relentlessly. Lu Yuan’s ears had already begun to ring. With a weak, trembling hand, she reached for her father’s hand resting on her forehead.

“You always said... wherever you go, you’ll take me. Don’t worry—I’ll get better.”

Feeling the dampness of her palm, Lu Sinan nodded, picked up a cup of water from the small table beside them, and slowly helped her drink a few sips.

“The second team will arrive soon, with medical staff. Just two or three more days, Yuan Yuan. Hang in there.”

For some reason, at the mention of the second team, Lu Yuan stiffened slightly. Her father, turning back after setting the cup down, didn’t notice. When he faced her again, he smiled and said,

“I’ve asked Aunt Zou to make you some porridge. It’ll be here soon. Try to get some sleep.”

As Lu Sinan stood up, Lu Yuan knew he had to get back to work. Under his worried gaze, she gave a faint nod.

“Daddy... have you found it yet?”

Her sudden curiosity caught Lu Sinan off guard. He shook his head and let out a frustrated sigh.

“Not yet. I don’t know if they can sense our presence—they’ve hidden without a trace. But we won’t give up. I firmly believe we’ll find them.”

“I believe in you, Daddy.”

With renewed determination, Lu Sinan left, leaving Lu Yuan alone again in the tent, struggling to breathe.

This research project was strictly confidential—unlike any before. By the time the first team arrived, the military had already set up camp on this small, uncharted island.

When she first heard from her father what they were searching for, Lu Yuan thought it was pure fantasy.

—Snake People.

Yes, a month ago, someone had accidentally landed on this mysterious island in international waters, previously undiscovered by man. From the images and fragmented voice recordings sent back, the world learned of this astonishing secret.

On this island lived an unknown species—Snake People. Lu Yuan had seen the backup copies of those images. In the blurry footage, she could barely make out a swift figure in the jungle. Its upper body looked human, but terrifyingly, below its waist—it slithered like a serpent...

Such a discovery, whether for science or any other field, was a wonder humanity could not ignore. A creature that had only existed in legends and rumors had appeared.

Of course, for Lu Yuan, who had feared snakes since childhood, following her father this time was a huge mistake. On the first day ashore, she saw several soldiers catch a three-meter-long king cobra. It scared her so much that she broke out in a cold sweat, and then the sea wind hit her. By nightfall, she couldn’t get out of bed.

Unfortunately, until her father—head of the research team—completed his work and left, she had to remain on this terrifying island.

The tent flap opened again. This time, a woman walked in, carrying a thermos and a brown paper bag.

“Feeling any better, Yuan Yuan?”

Backlit by the sunlight, the figure was unmistakable. Lu Yuan struggled to sit up, but her dizzy head and the needle-like pain all over her body forced her back down.

“Aunt Zou...”

The woman in the lab coat was barely thirty. Her long hair was neatly tied back, giving her a mature, intellectual look.

“Here, have some porridge while it’s hot. Your dad says you haven’t eaten anything. That won’t do—you need to eat at least a little.”

As soon as the thermos was opened, the fragrant scent of pork congee filled the air. Lu Yuan couldn’t really smell it, but when she saw the spoon Zou Xuan held out, topped with finely shredded meat and soft rice, she parted her cherry lips.

“Tastes good, doesn’t it? I had someone get me some wild boar meat—it’s very tender. Once you’re better, I’ll take you to grill some; I know you love that.”

Rarely having an appetite, Lu Yuan was touched to be able to eat.

“Thank you, Aunt Zou.”

When Lu Yuan was eight, her parents divorced. Her mother couldn’t tolerate her father’s constant absence from home or the underground lab in their house. The mother, who controlled a multi-million-dollar enterprise, quickly remarried, while Lu Yuan was granted custody to her father. From then on, Lu Sinan had to take care of her. When she got older, she was sent to boarding school, and during holidays, Lu Sinan had no choice but to bring her along.

Over the years, Lu Yuan had followed her father’s team to tropical rainforests to study plants and to Antarctica to investigate unknown fish species... At first, Lu Sinan was completely clueless about raising a child on the road. Fortunately, his assistant Zou Xuan volunteered to help. And so, she took care of Lu Yuan for many years.

Unlike the distant, cold memory of her mother, Lu Yuan genuinely liked Aunt Zou. Gradually, she understood why Zou Xuan was always so attentive—the way she looked at her father said it all. But far from resenting it, Lu Yuan actually supported it.

“Aunt Zou, what’s that?”

Lu Yuan’s trembling finger pointed to the brown paper bag on the table.

“On my way here, I ran into one of Xiao Chi’s soldiers. He said they were some fruits for you. I took a look—wild berries from the island, very fresh.”

At the mention of Xiao Chi, Zou Xuan’s eyes sparkled with amusement and teasing, making Lu Yuan’s already flushed face burn even more.

“Aunt Zou!” Lu Yuan shot her a coquettish glare.

Zou Xuan laughed even more. After feeding her a few more spoonfuls of porridge, she said, “I heard Xiao Chi picked them himself. Tsk, he’s really something. If he weren’t so busy, I’m sure he would have brought them himself.”

Lu Yuan sighed helplessly and let her talk. After all, quite a few people knew about her and Xiao Chi.

Childhood sweethearts, innocent playmates, betrothed since before birth... The two of them fit those words perfectly. Even Lu Sinan was pleased to see them together.