"Cough… cough, cough."

The shattered wooden door slammed to the ground, kicking up dust. Unlucky me, right in its path, inhaled a thick cloud. Covered head to toe in grime, I lay sprawled, unable to rise. Qingli shielded me behind her, eyes locked dead ahead.

A shadowy figure slowly emerged from the yard’s corner. Qingli seemed to recognize him and sneered, "They say snakes and rats share nests—but since when do snakes dig holes?"

My mind raced. From her words, he wasn’t human either… well, duh. In this shop, aside from customers, none of us—including me—were human. But that’s irrelevant. He was a demon, clearly targeting me. Definitely a separatist faction.

Next time I call life-threatening separatists "revolutionaries" or "freedom fighters"—all that positive spin—I’ll hang myself for justice.

Anyway, Qingli’s words confirmed the assassin was a snake demon. "Learned to dig holes"? Did he tunnel through the wall? I rubbed grit from my eyes and looked. Behind him, at the wall’s base, yep—a mouse-hole-sized opening. Seeing it, I felt the separatists’ painstaking effort to kill me…

But I wouldn’t surrender easily! I scrambled up, wrapped my tail around my vulnerable spots, then… hid behind Qingli.

No magic, trapped in this frail body—I had zero combat power. Thankfully, Qingli stood firm as a mountain ahead. Her cute cat ears looked incredibly reliable.

As we faced off, the intruder spoke suddenly: "Spirit Cat, we’ve no grudges. Hand over that fox behind you, and we’ll stay civil."

A raspy male voice, pretentiously formal. I scoffed inwardly. Talking peace before fighting? Usually meant defeat was near. He probably couldn’t beat Qingli—or he wouldn’t be making nice.

"Oh, no grudges before today," Qingli shot back fiercely. Her confidence washed over me. Qingli was stronger. I let out a slight sigh of relief, but a faint ache of weakness lingered.

This assassination was aimed at me, yet I couldn’t help at all.

"You… so nothing to discuss," he growled darkly. Though his face stayed blurred, his frustration radiated.

"It’s you with nothing to discuss," Qingli countered calmly. "To quote you: we had no grudges. You’re the one who showed up uninvited."

"No grudges?" He snorted, then yelled fiercely, "Enough talk! Today, she repays her blood debt with blood!"

What blood debt? I wondered—but he charged. Qingli leaped to intercept, claws slashing down.

Their forces clashed in the yard’s center, then parted instantly. His probing strike failed, but it jolted me—he’d aimed straight at me. Qingli blocked it.

So persistent. I sighed in frustration. His focus on defenseless me forced Qingli to split her attention. I was a burden.

Dust settled. I looked up and gasped inwardly. Where he’d charged from, the ground was stained inky green. His path looked plowed over, soil black and rotten.

That color, that corrosiveness—I knew instantly: poison. Just seeing it made my scalp crawl. I turned, worried, and shouted:

"Qingli, are you okay?"

"Fine."

Compared to my tense stance, Qingli was nonchalant. She stood before me again, waving sharp claws tauntingly at him.

"Truly worthy of being a Taipan. Biting just like your nature—peck and retreat… Among all snake breeds, you’re the most turtle-like." She kept needling him: "After all, you became a demon from an ordinary species. Some innate flaws are understandable. Not like us Fantasy Breeds, right?"

I understood her tactic. As the saying goes, a coiled snake hides its weak spot. She was provoking reckless attacks. Truly "spiritual"—fitting for a Spirit Cat.

I stood firm behind her, my big tails swaying and clapping in front, cheering her on. Our antics finally enraged him. He blurred into a tawny shadow, stuck to the wall, then lunged like lightning.

But Qingli was ready. Her agile body shot forward faster, claws outstretched toward his predicted path. The assassin didn’t slow; halfway, he shifted partially into demon form. A teal snake-head phantom opened its jaws, fangs aiming for Qingli as I gasped.

Just as my heart clenched, the snake head hissed into empty air. What it bit wasn’t Qingli—it was the afterimage of a small black cat. When I focused, Qingli’s cat-like limbs were already on the snake’s neck behind the head. Her claws sank deep into its skin. Poisonous blood oozed out, sizzling as it hit the ground, but none touched her—as if a light barrier shielded her.

Qingli slashed mercilessly, tearing open gashes. The snake writhed in pain, but she kept attacking. Blood splattered everywhere. I hid behind the door, peeking out with half my head. The snake demon couldn’t fight back. Each light step Qingli took tore another wound.

This guy really couldn’t beat my dear Qingli. Seeing the tide turn, I relaxed. The battle was decided; only time remained. My job was to stay put, avoiding any AOE attacks. But worry gnawed at me—if assassins had come, I was exposed. He wasn’t a lone wolf; just a scout for a faction.

Whether I’d exposed my aura through demonization or something else, I was compromised. I doubted modern demons couldn’t send photos or faxes to report. After all, Qingli was a homebody glued to her phone and computer.

The battle ended. The assassin, too weak to continue, reverted to human form—literally. Held by Qingli, still cat-formed, he looked pitiful. Seeing no danger, I stepped out carefully.

Now I saw him clearly—his face covered in tiny tawny scales, horrifying. No hair, just scattered black patches on his scalp. Skinny, malnourished-looking.

Earlier, Qingli called him a Taipan. From these traits, he must be an Inland Taipan—one of Australia’s deadliest snakes. How’d he end up in our great China? Got a visa?

"Hey, illegal immigrant—"

I wanted to tease him and probe for info, but the moment I spoke, Qingli’s face paled. "Xiao Yao, don’t come closer!" she yelled in panic.

Too late. I was already within five steps. The snake demon’s ugly face twisted into a sneer. He erupted with immense aura and a cloud of green gas, engulfing the yard.

An overpowering stench knocked me out. Before blacking out, I saw a giant snake head shoot a fang-like black beam at me—but another figure lunged to block it.

Qing… li…