In the green lake water, the group advanced in a loose skirmish formation, wading waist-deep and stumbling step by step. The lakebed was muddy, but it didn't slow their pace much.
Steve Owen felt uneasy—God knew what might be under the surface. He moved cautiously, but by the time they were halfway across with nothing happening, everyone's tension had eased a little.
"You okay?"
He glanced at his wife. Monica shook her head to say she was fine. Ahead, Adrian had already covered most of the distance when suddenly Karl, in the middle, shuddered and cried out:
"Something! Something just brushed past my leg! There's something in the water—"
Karl's scream sent a jolt through everyone, and they froze in place. Then Danny shouted, "Something in the water! Something in the water!"
An unknown fear gripped them. No one dared move, their eyes scanning the murky surface.
From above, the scene was clear—a massive black-and-green patterned python was weaving between them. Its body appeared and disappeared beneath the opaque water, the occasional flash of its coils making the sight even more unnerving.
"Ahhh!"
The moment they saw it clearly, the group screamed and broke into a panicked dash for the shore.
Owen and Monica were at the rear, but the anaconda didn't go for them—it went for Adrian in front.
"Help me! Help me!"
Adrian screamed in terror as the snake coiled around him, lifting his body from the water, about to make him the next Martin.
"Ahhh!"
Adrian shrieked. He tried to hack at the snake with his hunting knife, but his trapped body couldn't move at all, and the blade slipped from his grasp into the water.
No one thought of saving him—everyone was too busy running for their lives. Faced with that massive body, the idea of fighting back never even surfaced.
Owen guided Monica under the snake's coils, but hearing Adrian's screams overhead, he couldn't leave him.
"You go first…"
He shoved Monica forward before she could protest, then turned back. The dropped knife lay nearby—Owen snatched it up and drove it hard into the thick body beside him.
The sharp blade pierced the anaconda's scales and sank deep. The snake spasmed violently, loosening its coils around Adrian, who dropped free. Owen hauled him onto his shoulder and ran, the others on the shore shouting at them to hurry.
"Run!"
Owen, still carrying Adrian, sprinted up onto the bank. Monica was waiting with her MK3 knife in hand, guarding his side.
The rest didn't need telling—they were already bolting ahead. Even with a man over his shoulder, Owen still outpaced Kroll.
The sound of splashing behind them turned to a dry, raspy sliding. It grew louder—that was the sound of the anaconda's scales scraping against the ground.
Owen swore inwardly. Cold steel weapons were useless against something this massive. At 250 kilos, it could crush him easily. If he had a gun, he'd show it who really sat atop the food chain.
But cursing wouldn't save anyone. He kept running. Years of training gave him endurance beyond most, and even pregnant, Monica could run faster than the average person.
Before long, Owen and Monica had caught up to the ones who had fled first—terrifying everyone, as no one wanted to be last.
"Over there!"
Through the trees ahead, Owen spotted what looked like a vehicle. He didn't stop to wonder why there'd be a car in the middle of the rainforest—he just ran for it.
The others, beyond thought now, followed him instinctively.
As Owen and Monica drew near, the full picture emerged. It was indeed a vehicle—a convertible off-road truck, broken down, its front axle snapped and both front wheels wedged at a strange angle beneath the chassis.
Owen reached it, dropped Adrian onto the ground, and looked back. Danny and the others were seven or eight meters behind him; ten meters further back came the huge pursuing anaconda. Its massive body slithered forward in an S-shape, rasping against the dirt. The hunting knife still jutted from its side, glinting as it shook.
They couldn't keep running like this—they'd end up as its lunch. Owen decided to make a stand.
His eyes swept over the vehicle. He drew his MK3 combat knife and stabbed it hard into the fuel tank. Pulling it free, he watched gasoline gush from the hole, the sharp smell filling the air.
"Clear out!"
He shouted, yanking out his windproof lighter. As the last person sprinted past the vehicle, he hurled the lighter into the growing puddle.
The moment the flame touched the gas, fire roared to life and raced up toward the tank.
Owen turned and ran. Behind him, the anaconda arrived, its foul breath gagging him. Feeling the heat, the snake skirted the vehicle—but just as it lunged for Owen, the truck exploded. The blast wave flung the snake backward.
The shockwave knocked Owen down too. He staggered to his feet, spitting out grit. The explosion had turned the vehicle into shrapnel, scattering debris that formed a wall of fire between him and the anaconda.
The snake wasn't dead—only scorched in places. Hurt, it lifted its head, eyed the flames, and, guided by instinct, turned and fled without even glancing at Owen.
…
Two kilometers away, on a hillside, several tents formed a temporary broadcast station. Technicians adjusted equipment for the live feed while a suited man delivered an impassioned opening speech in front of a large screen.
"Dear fans of The Killing Game, we've made some exciting rule changes this season to make things more… entertaining. Our number of hunters has gone up from 10 to 12, and we've randomly selected 12 ordinary people as prey. And yes, they really are random tourists we picked up nearby. Oh my, I almost feel sorry for their fate—but that's the source of our joy, isn't it?
"Also, this season, we've added a tipping feature! You can reward your favorite hunters, and those who get the most tips will get more camera time. I'm sure you all want to see their masterful kills…"
Boom!
A loud explosion echoed in the distance, making the live feed shudder. The suited man looked at his assistant, who checked his console, then leaned in to whisper a few words.
"Nick, a group of tourists somehow wandered into our game zone. They just blew up that broken-down car you left on the path…"
Nick's eyes lit up as he listened, then his face curled into a devilish grin. In the same passionate tone, he declared,
"I've just learned of a little surprise—a group of tourists has accidentally stumbled into our live event! I now announce that they will have the honor of becoming this season's prey. Hunters, enjoy your slaughter. The winner will receive one million U.S. dollars in prize money. And now I declare… the hunt begins!"
______
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