C17 – The Great Green SnakeThe source of this content nov(el)bi((n))
“Do you actually believe I can’t make it out?” Lee Tian eyed the Great Green Snake and remarked, “The traps hunters lay out in the forest are designed for big game, and I’m nothing more than a tiny ant. I could stroll right over those traps and, given my size, I wouldn’t set off a single one.”
“Which means that after I’ve chopped you into eight pieces, I won’t even need you to guide me out. I could lie down on a trap and take a nap without a worry in the world!”
He spoke with a cool composure, then gazed at the Great Green Snake with a relaxed air. “I’d wager that even with your bulk, you couldn’t spring those traps, am I right?”
The Great Green Snake was taken aback. “How did you know that?”
Lee Tian mused to himself: An animal’s intelligence has its limits.
I’ve been human; how could I not understand human thinking?
Moreover, what hunter sets a mousetrap in a forest teeming with predators?
Or uses a tiger trap to catch a mouse?
He settled down and proposed to the Great Green Snake, “I’ve got a wealth of knowledge. Stick with me, show me you’re genuine, and I’ll share it with you. Deal?”
A sly twinkle shone in his eyes.
In a rush, the Great Green Snake leapt from the tree and prostrated before Lee Tian, exclaiming, “Big brother, you’re my big brother from now on!”
Flicking its tongue with apparent excitement, the snake seemed thrilled.
Lee Tian cracked a smile, yet the sight of his own severed hand on the snake filled him with rage.
“For now, I’ll spare your life. Once my plan is complete, I’ll chop you into eight pieces,” he vowed silently.
“Here’s the deal: I’ll call you Blockhead, and you’ll call me Mr. Tian,” Lee Tian declared, puffing up his modest frame.
“Mr. Tian, could we possibly pick a different nickname? ‘Blockhead’ sounds like you’re calling me a fool, and I’m no fool,” the Great Green Snake protested, not too keen on the idea.
Lee Tian was taken aback, not expecting the snake to grasp the implication.
After a brief contemplation, he proposed, “Alright, how about ‘Green’ for you?”
The Great Green Snake agreed with a nod. “Deal!”
With that, it began to excitedly flick its tongue in and out.
Watching the snake, Lee Tian was struck by a wave of doubt.
He had a nagging feeling that the Great Green Snake was oddly familiar with the ways of the human world.