Unexpectedly, Zach Chow found his right hand had lifted and was now aiming straight at the bizarre old man before him. Yet, no matter how he tried, he just couldn’t squeeze the trigger. His heart plummeted and he cursed to himself—he was in deep trouble now!
Sure enough, Nick Carter stepped up with a cold sneer, coolly taking the pistol from Zach’s grip. He even slapped Zach’s cheek and jeered, "Hero, huh? Well, enjoy the price of playing hero!"
Goldtooth, who’d just been pinned to the sofa, sprang up and without a second thought, delivered a vicious right hook to Zach’s gut—“Bang!” The blow nearly made Zach spit out the chilled fruit he’d just eaten. Goldtooth snatched the pistol from Nick Carter and snarled, "Think you’re tough? I’ll blast your brains out and turn you into sugarcane fertilizer! ***!"
Nick Carter grabbed Goldtooth’s arm and grinned, "Hold on. Grandmaster Draco’s pet is hungry. Let the master show you something—you’re about to see a real spectacle!"
"Oh yeah? Fine!" Goldtooth holstered his pistol and joined Nick Carter to watch the show.
Zach’s mouth hung wide open, totally out of his control, and his whole body felt pinned by some weird force—he was stuck, unable to move an inch. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead and trickled down his neck.
Grandmaster Draco’s mouth stretched impossibly wide, like a python about to swallow a whole pig. Then, something indescribable, beyond anyone’s wildest nightmares, crawled up from deep in his throat—a dark brown, thumb-thick, writhing thing that was unmistakably alive!
Zach went cold with terror; even Goldtooth and the armed thugs were left gaping in shock. Only Nick Carter wore a cruel, twisted grin, ready to enjoy the horror show.
That thing—what everyone could see—looked like a revolting worm, dark brown and plump, squirming forward like a maggot. Its hindquarters clenched while the front stretched out, inching along. At the tip was a head like a sunflower, ringed with spiral barbed teeth, and its body was studded with pus-filled, rainbow-colored blisters that sloshed with every wriggle. The parasite slithered out of Grandmaster Draco’s mouth, raised its sunflower head as if sniffing, and then locked onto Zach’s gaping mouth!
Zach instinctively held his breath, hoping the creature wouldn’t notice him. But it was pointless—the thing seemed summoned, wriggling inch by inch toward his gaping mouth. Its front half looked like a centipede, while the back was like a baby’s umbilical cord, studded with oval, grainy lumps.
In an instant, the parasite jerked and dove straight into Zach’s mouth. He desperately tried to bite down and crush the worm, but it was useless—the monster forced its way deeper. Zach could feel its slick, writhing flesh squirming into his mouth and down his throat!
Zach strained, trying to choke and block the worm’s advance, but it was no use. He felt the creature’s sunflower-shaped head unfurl, revealing razor-sharp teeth that drilled hungrily into his throat—
"Cough—cough—cough—" Zach tried to hack the parasite out with a burst of air from his belly, but only managed to spit blood. The monster burrowed even deeper. Suddenly, Zach’s throat felt hollow—like he’d gulped down a giant noodle—"slurp!" The worm, trailing a long, pointed tail, vanished completely into his mouth and wriggled down his throat.
Grandmaster Draco licked his lips, then reached into his voluminous black robe and pulled out a gourd sealed with a wooden stopper. He popped it open, letting a strong aroma of liquor waft out, tipped his head back, chugged a few gulps, and smacked his lips with satisfaction, giving his body a little shake.
Suddenly, Zach felt light and regained control of his body. Anxiety, rage, and terror all churned inside him—he had no clue what that creepy old geezer had put in him, but it had to be something horrific! He wanted to roar and tackle Grandmaster Draco, force the old freak to get the parasite out, but all that came out was a hiss—he couldn’t speak. Instantly, his throat and belly started itching furiously, a deep, bone-level itch—like a swarm of black ants gnawing at his guts. It was sheer torture!
"Cough—cough—cough—ugh—" Zach collapsed, writhing and clawing at himself, desperate to scratch away the maddening itch and pain. The harder he struggled, the worse it got. He slammed his body against the hard edges and furniture in the gambling hall, trying to crush the agony inside him! Soon, he was bleeding everywhere, but felt no pain—only the urge to smash himself harder!
"Hahaha—this kid’s really suffering! Let him thrash a bit more, and Grandmaster Draco’s pet will start feasting. That’s when the real fun begins—" Nick Carter was clearly no stranger to this scene, looking positively thrilled.
Goldtooth and Nick Carter’s thugs snickered along, though every one of them felt a chill crawl down their spine. Even hardened veterans like Goldtooth couldn’t help but shudder at the gruesome spectacle!
The loose skin on Grandmaster Draco’s old face twitched as he hissed, "Heh heh—this guy’s cultivation is top-notch. His blood is rich, his essence strong—the perfect tonic for my Heart-Eater Demon Parasite! Looks like I’ll be raking in the rewards today!"