His hands were dry yet strong, his fingers like gnarled tree branches.

The nails were long and somewhat yellowish, with some black dirt remaining on the edges.

As he spoke, his hands would occasionally gesture in the air, as if casting some kind of mysterious spell.

"It's better for outsiders to leave western Hunan as soon as possible."

Although he spoke words that seemed to express concern, the aura emanating from him was like a cold current that kept spreading in all directions.

Each step seemed to carry a strange rhythm; the steps were light, yet felt like they were stepping on one's heart, making one involuntarily tense up.

In this mysterious land of western Hunan, the five-step snake is a fearsome creature, and behind it are countless mysterious legends.

Some say he can kill within five steps, hence his name.

In this seemingly peaceful village, his appearance was like a boulder thrown into a lake, instantly shattering the original tranquility.

Ma Linghua knew they had to leave this dangerous place as soon as possible, because Wubushe, this ruthless man who was like a ghost, could drag them into an abyss of no return at any moment.

"Cough cough cough!"

Ma Lihua's coughs echoed throughout the quiet hotel room, the sound like the churning of an old bellows, carrying an indescribable hoarseness and pain.

Each cough felt like it was trying to cough up its own lungs and heart, echoing a heart-wrenching rhythm in the cramped space.

"ah!"

Suddenly, a mournful cry shattered the stillness of the night.

As if haunted by a nightmare, Ma Lihua suddenly sat up.

Her hair was disheveled and fell over her shoulders, a few strands of it soaked with sweat and clinging to her pale, paper-like cheeks. Her eyes were wide open in terror, her pupils flashing with lingering fear, as if she had just struggled out of the abyss of hell.

Her chest heaved violently as she gasped for breath, her rapid breathing and persistent cough making her look like a fragile leaf swaying in a storm.

She was lost in a dream, as if she had fallen into an endless abyss of darkness.

A black dragon suddenly appeared, its body as black as ink, each scale shimmering with a cold light.

It wrapped itself around her with an irresistible force, its massive body entwining her.

The dragon's muscles were taut, its power seemingly capable of crushing her bones. She felt increasingly breathless, and every inch of her skin was stung by the cold, hardness of the dragon's scales.

The black dragon's eyes were like deep, cold pools, staring intently at her, revealing an ancient and mysterious aura of intimidation. She struggled desperately in this terrible confinement, but like a moth trapped in a spider web, she was powerless to break free.