With his guards gone, Zed was nothing but a toothless tiger—though he certainly didn’t see it that way. Watching the soldiers drag his protectors away, he kept swaggering and shouting, demanding Dominic Zhai release his men or else face consequences.
Dominic Zhai burst out laughing, rough and unfiltered: "Is this kid brainless? He’s just a little brat and he dares to threaten me? Isn’t he afraid I’ll just slap him dead?"
"Don’t underestimate—" Serena started, but before she could finish, a rush of hissing sounded from outside. She looked up and saw a giant python, thick as a man’s thigh, burst into the hall, lunging straight for Dominic Zhai.
"Blaze, kill him!" Zed pointed at Dominic Zhai and ordered the python. The giant snake seemed almost human in its understanding—at Zed’s command, it launched itself at Dominic.
"Dominic, dodge!" Serena had seen Zed’s tricks before and had once had her face licked by this very python—she’d been so terrified she’d fallen to the floor. Now, seeing the snake rush in, she urgently warned Dominic Zhai while flipping off her gun’s safety.
Zed really was just a reckless, clueless child.
"So young, yet keeping company with such a monster." Ninth Royal Uncle shot Zed another look of pure disgust. Zed, proud, lifted his little chin, but Nolan just shook his head, drew the flexible sword from his waist, and charged at the python.
"I—I…" Dominic Zhai stumbled backward, his face drained of all color.
Anyone would panic if a giant python suddenly lunged at them. Dominic Zhai was actually doing pretty well—at least he managed to draw his sword, though Serena doubted that blade could do any real harm to the snake.
"Hiss, hiss…" The snake moved with terrifying speed. In an instant, it coiled in front of Dominic Zhai, its body rising higher than he stood. Its jaws gaped wide, aiming straight for his head.