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Chapter 15: Puff Adder
Africa’s grasslands are home to countless species of venomous snakes. Picking the deadliest among them is no easy task—anyone bitten by one is likely to meet the same grim end. The differences between species boil down to variations in venom composition, which ultimately influences the manner of death.
However, if one were to ask which venomous snake is the most common, the puff adder would undoubtedly claim a top spot.
Perhaps it allocated its "skill points" oddly. Unlike other snakes, the puff adder is better known for its remarkable reproductive capabilities than its venom. Despite its modest size, its nocturnal hunting habits make it a dangerous predator—many unsuspecting animals fall victim while asleep, becoming dinner without ever waking up.
Right now, Wang Ping was face-to-face with one of these hunting puff adders. Under normal circumstances, a puff adder barely over a meter long wouldn’t attack unprovoked. This one, however, was likely drawn by the warmth of the campfire.
Unfortunately, snakes don’t differentiate between sources of heat. If it could, and realized it was standing opposite a “snake killer” like a honey badger, the puff adder’s psychological trauma would far exceed its physical size.
While the snake lacked fear, Wang Ping didn’t.
If he were just an ordinary honey badger, he would’ve pounced on the snake by now, cheering as he went. To a honey badger, venomous snakes are nothing more than spicy snacks—second only to honey on their list of culinary delights.
A popular factoid online states that if you ingest venom, your stomach will break it down into harmless proteins—provided, of course, the venom doesn’t touch any capillaries along the way. Otherwise, the venom will kill you faster than your stomach acid can neutralize it.
Even though Wang Ping knew that honey badgers were nearly immune to snake venom, he couldn’t shake a sense of unease.
During his past field missions, he’d always had countermeasures against everything from large predators to tiny mosquitoes and lizards. But snakes were a different story—if bitten, he’d be dead without immediate antivenom. And even with antivenom, some snake toxins defied treatment. Wang Ping’s fear of snakes was deeply ingrained.
"Alright, being a man—or a badger—afraid of snakes isn’t anything to be ashamed of," he muttered to himself.
The puff adder, startled by sparks from the fire, had slithered out of the grass, flicking its tongue in an attack stance. Its infrared senses likely registered a massive blob of heat rushing toward it, enough to rattle any creature.
Wang Ping steeled himself, positioning himself between the puff adder and the off-road vehicle. Compared to the two passengers inside, he was the only one capable of dealing with this crisis. He’d already checked Gu Lang’s first-aid kit earlier—no antivenom was in sight. If Gu Lang or Rosette got bitten, their journey would end right here.
“Uh… How do honey badgers handle snakes again?”
Wang Ping wracked his brain while keeping a wary eye on the puff adder. Unfortunately, no clear answers emerged. Damn it! If only I’d known I’d turn into a honey badger, I would’ve binge-watched every snake-catching video online for tips!
In truth, honey badgers don’t rely on strategy to hunt snakes. They simply rush in, pin the snake down, grab it, and shove it into their mouth. It’s as straightforward as putting an elephant in a fridge.
The puff adder made the first move.
Snakes don’t categorize their targets—they rely purely on size and heat to distinguish between food and foe. Spotting a moving heat source blocking its path, with two larger heat sources behind it, the puff adder saw nothing but meals.
As a certain wealthy Chinese heir once said, “I don’t care if my friends are rich—I’m richer than them anyway.” Similarly, snakes don’t care if their prey is larger than they are. As long as it’s alive, it’s fair game. The only question is how wide they’ll have to open their mouths to eat it.
The puff adder coiled, its muscles contracting before launching forward with its fangs aimed at Wang Ping’s neck.
Wang Ping’s pupils constricted as he dodged, but just as he avoided the bite, venom sprayed from the snake’s fangs, splattering onto his fur.
Thankfully, his thick pelt rendered the venom’s corrosive effects harmless. Wang Ping glanced at his fur—no pain, no sensation, just the equivalent of being spat on.
Taking advantage of the snake’s extended body after its strike, Wang Ping swiped his paw, leaving a deep gash beneath its head, exposing white flesh.
The injured puff adder recoiled onto the ground, rolling before curling into a defensive coil, its head raised and tongue flicking.
Wang Ping’s gaze shifted to the campfire, and a mischievous thought crossed his mind.
Everyone harbors a dark streak, and Wang Ping was no exception. His fear of snakes made him eager to try something he'd always wanted to do.
Hooking a burning stick with his paw, Wang Ping held it aloft with both front claws before flinging it at the coiled puff adder. The embered stick struck the snake’s body, producing a sizzling sound.
The puff adder uncoiled violently, its head snapping at the ember while letting out a screech—whether from pain or burning flesh, Wang Ping couldn’t tell.
“Strike while it’s weak,” Wang Ping thought. As the snake writhed in agony, he drove his claws through its body, severing it in two.
After tossing the ember back into the fire, Wang Ping held up the severed snake tail. "Should I try grilled snake meat?"
Before he could act on the thought, a sharp pain jolted through his leg.
The puff adder, though battered and burned, had latched onto his hind leg with its remaining head.
Wang Ping felt venom injecting into his body; it was way more terrifying than getting vaccinated as a child. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” he roared internally.
Wang Ping was about to lose his temper. Despite all his precautions, he still got bitten. At this point, thoughts of eating snake meat were completely forgotten. He yanked the half-dead venomous snake hanging from his leg and, together with the other half of its tail, tossed them straight into the campfire.
"Tough, huh? Still biting after being split in two, huh? I’ll burn you to ashes and see how tough you are now!"
The puff adder writhed, coiled, and hissed in the flames.
If the snake had a big enough brain, it probably would have regretted it. Why go out at night? It would have been much better to stay home and sleep!
Wang Ping’s anger hadn’t subsided. He kept poking at the campfire until there was no sign of the snake’s body left, reduced to nothing but ashes. He probably didn’t even notice it himself, but ever since waking up at the zoo, his temper had been unusually short.
Luckily, before they moved the camp, Gu Lang had turned the camera towards the inside of the vehicle. After all, one of the main reasons he kept the live stream on late at night was in case of unexpected incidents. Although it wouldn’t really prevent anything, it would at least let his family know what had happened in case something went wrong. So, after arriving at the new campsite, Gu Lang hadn’t moved the camera angle.
The scene of Wang Ping beating the puff adder’s remains with a stick wasn’t broadcasted. Otherwise, this kind of strange action would definitely make all the zoologists lose their hair overnight.
Thinking it over, Wang Ping still felt uneasy. He sensed that the amount of venom injected into his leg by the puff adder was considerable. It really felt like the snake was putting its life into it—probably the largest dose of venom it had ever delivered. His bitten leg was starting to feel numb.
Maybe he should check the car again? What if he misjudged Gu Lang? Maybe that guy had some anti-venom after all? If not, at least some anti-inflammatory pills would do...
With a heavy heart, Wang Ping walked toward the off-road vehicle. As he reached the door, his vision started to fade to black.
"Dammit…" Wang Ping cursed as he collapsed outside the car.
The night wind swept across the savanna, restoring its silence. Inside the vehicle, Gu Lang mumbled in his sleep, adjusting his jacket before drifting off once more.
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