Shen and the three kittens were hiding behind bushes next to a tree. He was staring at the bait he put at the center of the snowy field. Fifteen Ice Vulture corpses were stacked there.

As for Lyra, she was taking a detour to get to the other side of Frosted Lake. As soon as the Ice Boa left the nest she would get the Ice Lotus. That was the plan. For now, it was a waiting game. They were waiting for the Ice Boa to get lured here. If the Ice Boa took the bait, he and the three kittens would immediately leave this place to safety.

Shen shook his right foot. It was how he showed nervousness. He did not know how strong the Ice Boa was. Since Lyra wanted to avoid the fight that meant the Ice Boa should be as strong as Lyra.

The clock ticked down as he kept looking at the time on the screen. He had put the Ice Vulture in for three minutes and forty-three seconds yet the Ice Boa had not come yet, "Did the bait fail?" If the bait failed then Lyra had to face the Ice Boa, and he would be the one stealing the Frost Lotus.

"No, it's just a few minutes. Let's wait longer," Shen did not give up. If the plan failed, he would have to retrieve the corpses and regroup with Lyra for the backup plan. A minute after minute passed, and it had been twelve minutes since he put the Ice Vulture carcasses but the Ice Boa did not come.

"It seems the Ice Boa will not leave the nest for Ice Vulture…" Shen muttered in a low voice and looked at the three kittens. They were sleeping next to the tree. This was a boring task for sure, and the kitten did not have patience for this hence they went sleeping instead.

"Fifteen minutes… Let's wait for another three minutes…" Three minutes passed, and the Ice Boa did not come.

"Hah…" He let out a sigh, "It does not work. There are no other choices…" Shen's words stopped midway as he felt a slight vibration on the ground. He ducked his head and pushed the bush slightly to get a clear look at the bait.

Soon he saw a big head popping out from the thick bush. The head was around three meters wide, it was an enormous head for sure. His heartbeat spiked up as the Ice Boa came out of the bushes.

He swallowed mouthful saliva at the sight of the Ice Boa. It was gigantic and very long as well. The ice-blue skin, five horns made of ice on the head, and blue eyes. Yes, the eyes only had one color, ice-blue. It looked weird as it did not have irises just like the snake normally did. The eyes looked like the snake was dead for a long time.

The moment the Ice Boa arrived at the Ice Vulture's carcasses Shen still could not see the tail of the Ice Boa. He estimated that the Ice Boa was at least ten meters long or maybe even longer than that.

The Ice Boa opened its mouth that stretched out up to seven meters. Yes, the mouth was like a cave in Shen's eyes rather than a mouth. Just like that, Shen witnessed the Ice Boa swallow the fifteen Ice Vulture's carcasses in one go.

It was a snake so it did not chew its food. The Ice Boa immediately swallowed the fifteen Ice Vultures. He could see the bulging part on its body. The Ice Boa was so massive that Shen was forgetting one thing. If the Ice Boa took the bait he had to leave immediately.

He forgot about that as he was stunned by the size of the snake. It was until the blue eyes met with his gaze then he remembered that he had to leave this place.

Shen froze on the spot as he was sure that the Ice Boa found him. He was about to turn around to escape but he remembered the sleeping kittens. There was one thing that was still the same for the game between Tribe Online and the previous game.

If NPCs died then they would be dead, dead. It was still the same within Tribe Online. If he escaped now there was a chance for him to survive but he had to sacrifice the three kittens for that.

Shen looked at the sleeping kittens. Three of them were still sleeping and unaware of the situation as the Ice Boa barely made a noise. It was the same for the Ice Boa. It should not be aware that there were three kittens next to him, "Then…"

There was no hesitation in his action. Shen dashed out of the bushes. He rushed to the side. Before he did not have a chance to see the Ice Boa's tail but now he saw the tail. The Ice Boa's tail's pointy end was aiming at his chest.

[Void Step]

Shen activated his skill and moved to the side. However, the tail was too fast for him and hit his left shoulder, "ARGGHHHH!" He screamed in pain. The pain was real. He had lowered the pain tolerance at level two but this was still painful. it was as if a real blade sliced through his flesh.

-321

[You suffered "Bleeding"! You will lose two hp per second!]

Shen lost his balance and crashed to the ground before his body hit the tree. He immediately tried to stand up but the pain and the feeling of losing one of his arms threw him off. He could not keep his balance and fell once again.

Then a massive shadow hovered above him. His heart skipped a beat and realized that the Ice Boa was right above him. Shen gave up to escape from the Ice Boa and turned his body around. The Ice Boa's blue eyes locked on him.

"I am dead for sure," Shen muttered in a resigned tone. He accepted his death, 'I hope Lyra can come in time and save her children," he was guilty that her children were in danger because of him. If he retreated in time, he and the three kittens would be safe.

Shen closed his eyes and let the Ice Boa swallow him. However, as soon as he closed his eyes. He heard immature roars.

Rawr! Rawr! Rawr!