The rainy season on Borneo Island enveloped the region in a clammy humidity.
In the small town nestled on the outskirts of the virgin forest, torrents of rain poured down, drenching the locals as they trudged along muddy streets. In the distance, a three-story building stood amidst a cluster of shanties, a crane amidst a flock of chickens, drawing attention despite its dilapidation.
Clutching an umbrella, Chen Ang shielded himself from the cold wind and rain. Locals regarded him with utmost respect, bowing their heads as they passed by. A few curious foreigners cast inquisitive glances his way.
Wearing a weathered attire amidst the heavy rain was undeniably peculiar. Chen Ang's demeanor set him apart noticeably from the locals.
"Shaman yarn, don't look," a young white man called out, redirecting their attention. The group quickly averted their gaze and followed him into the bar. Amidst their conversation, a worried voice muttered, "Is Golden Song here? Blast it, we're running out of time, the Blood Orchid's bloom is about to pass!"
Chen Ang paid them no heed. These adventurers, driven by greed, had chosen to explore and must now brace themselves against the perils of the unforgiving jungle. Nature abides by no human laws, and Chen Ang respected its principle of survival of the fittest.
"Dadar!" a local addressed Chen Ang in their native tongue. "Amanra summons you. He has found the Dragon King's record."
In the local dialect, 'Dadar' meant the ambassador of the Elves.
Chen Ang offered a faint smile and replied in the same native language, "Understood. Lead the way!"
Amidst the apprehensive gazes of the locals, he trod through the mud, swiftly disappearing into the night. The young man who delivered the message lowered his head, examining the ground where Chen Ang had walked. Despite the overflowing water and mud, not a trace of footprints remained. With reverence, he bowed toward the spot where Chen Ang had vanished.
Amanra, the local Great Shaman, descended from generations of witch doctors and voodoo practitioners, wielded considerable influence among the indigenous jungle dwellers. Chinese civilization had deeply influenced this untamed land, commanding respect even from Amanra, the Great Shaman.
In the presence of Chen Ang, Oman Layi's magical herbs and illusions held no sway. To these indigenous people, the young Chinese man commanded both reverence and fear, possessing the power to control life and combat disease as if he were a god.
Bowing his head devoutly, the shaman presented Chen Ang with a weathered bark. "Master, the record of the Dragon King has been unearthed. This is the Totem of the Gould tribe, bearing the shadow and spirit of the Dragon King. A gift, along with His blood."
Unfurling the bark, Chen Ang beheld dark brown paint depicting sinuous serpentine shadows, evoking a sense of a dancing dragon-snake. The most prominent feature was a vivid, peculiar flower with six petals, a striking crimson resembling fresh blood.
The pigment's color, preserved for nearly a hundred years, remained vivid, a testament to the mystical aspects of Borneo Island's witchcraft!
Running his fingers over the coarse bark, Chen Ang felt a slight numbing sensation. "Extracts from poisonous trees, arrow frog venom, bat feces, crocodile blood, and human heart's blood—the raw and primitive application of poison is shrouded in mystery within witchcraft and herbalism."
Amanra held a lamp, illuminating a sprawling map before their eyes. "The blood of the gods, mixed with various venoms and herbs under the Dragon King's watchful gaze, creates an elixir for eternal youth and longevity. The Great Shaman lived for four or five hundred years, until later wizards forgot the herb sequence, leading to the loss of this witchcraft."
Dim light cast shadows on his face, the intricate patterns appearing enigmatic and otherworldly. "My teacher, an elderly man, struggled to live beyond two hundred years and entrusted me with this secret."
Chen Ang flicked a finger, summoning a silver-white spherical robot that hovered mid-air. Warm white light flooded the room, illuminating it brilliantly. Behind them, a massive ship lay docked at the harbor, its long shadow stretching over the vessel.
Amanda spotted the shadow and leaned down in excitement, kneeling before it.
Suddenly, a swift, blue-hued apparition streaked through the air, covering the distance of several dozen meters in a mere instant. It arrived before the two figures. This mammoth snake, several dozen meters long, adorned in emerald scales, hoisted a body equivalent to two humans. It gently nestled in front of Chen Ang, its head, the size of a car, tenderly brushing against Chen Ang's fingertips.
As the coolness of the snake's body touched him, Chen Ang's lips curved into a light smile. Raising his leg, he stepped onto the serpent's flat skull, directing Amanda to comply, "Gather some witch medicine; we shall need it soon."
The enormous serpent acknowledged Chen Ang and slithered away into the vast river.
Deep within the jungle, countless secrets lay hidden. Even amidst a century of rapid industrial advancement, the oceans and rainforests remained uncharted territories, storing untold treasures. In the virgin forests of Borneo Island, the Blood Orchid flower stood as a natural wonder.
This divine object, steeped in local mythology for its ability to bestow eternal youth, had the power to push cellular division beyond limits, extending lifespan. A population of these colossal serpents inhabited areas where the orchids bloomed, growing massive, living extended lives, and even exhibiting enhanced intelligence.
However, Chen Ang was aware that despite their imposing appearance, these creatures were no match against humans. Although colossal in size and relying on sheer physical strength for predation, these hidden serpents, when faced with human intelligence, were no more survivable than mice.
Gliding gracefully over the treetops, Chen Ang's broad robes aided in minimizing air resistance. Effortlessly traversing the jungle, he covered distances that would take nearly an hour by foot in the rainforest.
Several leaps brought him to a narrow canyon.
A striking blood-red flower caught his eye. This plant, scaling the cliff, displayed sturdy roots and seemed rather unremarkable. Its branches bore a few blood-red flowers, scattered across the canyon walls.
To most tropical plants, it appeared indistinguishable, but Chen Ang faintly detected an unusual scent. It seemed to awaken his body's instincts, triggering an insatiable hunger within every cell.
Instantly, Chen Ang's pupils transformed into a sea-blue hue, and the hunger dissipated entirely. Controlling his mind, he reinterpreted the genuine signals from his body's nerves, swiftly processing and analyzing massive hormonal responses and sensory data. Certain peculiar body indexes piqued Chen Ang's curiosity.
"Could special molecules disrupt neural transmission? Perhaps a pheromone?" Chen Ang mused aloud. "Enticing specific organisms through pheromones, gaining opportunities and protection."
Stealthily passing by the lengthy nine-meter serpent did not attract their attention. Nonchalantly traversing the steep cliffs, which might prove obstacles for others, Chen Ang effortlessly leaped twice, even stepping on a large snake, and climbed toward the Blood Orchid.
Snakes possess limited static vision, relying mainly on thermal imaging and scent to locate prey. However, they closed their body pores and adjusted their body's Yin-Yang aura. To them, Chen Ang was no more than a stone. In dynamic vision, he blended seamlessly with the background, virtually invisible.
Even if Chen Ang were to wield a handgun and aim at their heads, their fate would still be sealed. Gazing at these cumbersome serpents, Chen Ang secretly sighed, realizing that these creatures were ill-equipped to guard the Blood Orchid against humans.
Reaching for the petals of a Blood Orchid, Chen Ang delicately chewed on it. A faintly bitter juice oozed out, subject to constant scrutiny by Chen Ang. If someone could observe his thoughts, they would be astounded by the series of elaborate formulas and symbols scrolling through his mind.
His body functions activated, mobilizing at a cellular level. The different components of the Blood Orchid flower were effectively separated, analyzed, and interpreted by his body. The human body itself served as an intricate analytical instrument with highly developed sensory organs for professional bioanalysis.
Though Chen Ang's control and perception were limited to the cellular level, it was sufficient to dissect a portion of the drug's mechanism. Granted, there remained a substantial gap compared to the sixth genetic laboratory's professional standards, yet it was adequate for preliminary research.
The traces of the Blood Orchid's flowers swiftly influenced Chen Ang's body. Some cells succumbed to the special blood-colored substances, rupturing and dying, while others underwent subtle changes. Shortly thereafter, under Chen Ang's perception, a greyish cell fiercely divided.
It launched an assault on and infected other cells, rapidly expanding from a dozen cell clusters to tumor tissues of tens of thousands of cells within a short span. Controlled by Chen Ang, blood vessels severed the tumor's nutrient supply, and keratin promptly isolated the tumor from other cells.
A bead fell from Chen Ang's right arm, landing on a massive snake below the cliff.
From the gap in the serpent's scales, a tiny shoot emerged. Chen Ang observed the muscular serpent with keen attention. The seed had transplanted itself onto the serpent's surface, sprouting roots and burgeoning into a blood-red crown.
The blood-crowned colossal snake violently thrashed about, stirring the pool of water, generating an enormous wave. Its golden eyes now drenched in blood-red, it turned toward Chen Ang with a huge mouth wide open, lunging at him.
Another, larger snake darted in from the side, targeting the seven-inch vital point of the blood-streaked serpent. Within its blue-hued eyes lay an aura akin to human intelligence. Swiftly entwining with the blood-crowned giant snake, it tore through its body, revealing pink muscles and a network of black blood vessels spread throughout the blood-snake serpent's body.