He carved into the thick neck with ruthless precision, cutting past scales and flesh until his hand plunged into the wound.
The spirit core came free, hot and throbbing with power. Lin Fang didn't hesitate. He stored it in the inventory and kicked upward, rocketing back toward the surface.
Before anyone on shore could even react, he burst out of the lake and took to the air in one smooth motion.
He flew straight onto the skull of the undead queen and landed beside Nianxi.
The sudden shift left Li Ying, Mokong, and Ryan staring again in stunned silence. Water streamed off his clothes as he looked toward them calmly.
"As the killer," Lin Fang said, his voice steady, "it's within my right to do whatever I want with it. I took the core. As I promised, the body and the head are yours, Li Ying." He paused, then added simply, "Goodbye."
The undead anaconda began to move.
