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墨書 Inktalez
I aimed for the giant python's eye; this would be my most daring move yet. I believed that if I hit its eye, it would instantly lose its ability to attack. The uncertainty lay in whether I could actually hit it.
I had a fair amount of confidence in my marksmanship. During my time with the Archaeology team, I often interacted with local troops. Sometimes, we needed their cooperation for protection, and even in harsh environments, I would stay in their barracks, practicing shooting alongside them as a form of civil-military exchange. My marksmanship was honed during those years.
However, the problem was that I was not left-handed. I had never fired a gun with my left hand before. This challenge felt overwhelming.
I struggled to calm myself, trying to enter that extraordinary state of mind where my brain was incredibly calm and decisive—just like the state I had been in moments ago. In that state, it felt like I could accomplish anything.
Unfortunately, things did not go as planned. The python's foul mouth was now right in front of me, and the clarity I had hoped for did not materialize. My left hand, holding the gun, began to tremble slightly. This was due to the immense psychological pressure; it was already fortunate that I hadn’t been crushed by it.
Fortunately, my focus was sharp. As the shadow of the Buasong passed overhead, the massive head of the python loomed close. There was no time to think or aim; I pulled the trigger. In a very short span of time, fifteen rounds from the magazine erupted out. The python only realized my presence after the gunfire rang out; clearly, it had a strong impression of me and immediately changed its target, lunging toward me through the bullets. I could see sparks flying as the bullets struck its scales and heard a metallic clanging sound.
Unfortunately for me, this was one massive snake. Due to our proximity, despite my trembling left hand, at least two bullets found their way into its eyes. The scorching bullets caused its eyes to burst open; being so close allowed me to see blood splatter from its head as the bullets exited.
The python's head snapped back as if struck by a giant baseball bat, its enormous body coiling tightly around itself. This colossal creature, weighing as much as a heavy truck, fell with a thunderous crash without any support. It sent huge waves crashing against the black waters beneath the Banyan Tree before being submerged again. At that moment, I realized that the water level in the swamp had risen significantly and could easily engulf the python.
I hadn't anticipated firing from such close range and certainly didn't expect to eliminate it so decisively. However, my injured right arm didn’t give me time to revel in excitement; as soon as the last bullet was fired, my body began to lose balance and slide down.
In a moment of desperation, I bit down on the hot barrel of the gun while my left hand quickly reached back to grab a branch on the other side of my body to maintain balance and prevent further sliding. But at that point, my body had already slipped from the thick foliage onto the edge of the treetop. The support for my weight shifted from dense leaves to just a few branches I clutched in my hands—my arms now bore my entire weight.
My body was nearly vertical; both legs dangled off the edge of the treetop while my upper body barely leaned against it. My head tilted back painfully as I used it as a pivot point for support. The most embarrassing part was that this position offered no strength; with my back pressed against a branch and sharp pain piercing through my right side, I worried that if any bones broke, this position might cause them to puncture my lungs.
At that moment, a hand reached down from above and grabbed me—unfortunately, it seized my right hand. As this force pulled me upward, feeling returned to my numb arm with an agonizing jolt that made my body tremble like a pendulum. Saliva dripped from my mouth along the barrel down to the grip of the gun, forming a long string behind it.
Buasong dragged me into the middle of this leafy mat. He must have seen my face looking as pale as a corpse, shouting my name loudly and slapping my cheeks, trying to bring me back from the brink of death.
My head was in a fog, neither fully awake nor completely dazed, but my reactions were sluggish, especially to pain, which I felt extremely numb to. The loud slaps echoed, yet I couldn't feel any pain on my face. However, the pain in my back and right arm reached deep into my nerves; perhaps it was so intense that it overshadowed other sensations.
I grabbed Buasong's hand that was still delivering those slaps. Although I felt slow, instinctively I knew my face must be swollen. I gestured for him to help me open my backpack. On this thick mat of leaves, as long as I opened my body, I wouldn't fall off; the density and resilience of the leaves supported both Buasong and me without any issue.
Buasong opened my backpack and pulled out a first aid kit, looking at me questioningly. I nodded and fished out a syringe of Morphine from the kit. After removing the sterilization cap, I injected it into my right arm.
I lay back on the leafy mat in relief, and soon the pain began to subside, my breathing gradually becoming more even. My complexion must have improved somewhat because I noticed Buasong's gaze toward me became more natural. His eyes still held concern as he chattered on about my injuries, seemingly asking about my condition.
I stuffed the gun in my pocket and gestured to him that I had dislocated my shoulder. Buasong touched my right shoulder joint and patted his chest while speaking a string of Lao words. From his expression, it seemed he wanted to help me relocate the dislocated joint. I knew how to do it myself but couldn't manage it alone; if he had experience in this area, I could cooperate with him completely—at least he wouldn't mess it up.
My worries were unfounded; Buasong skillfully relocated my right shoulder joint. The effects of the Morphine hadn't worn off yet, sparing me from further torment. I couldn't see or touch the injury on my back, but Buasong could. Seeing that he seemed capable in this regard, I gestured for him to check the injury caused by a giant python.
I leaned forward, and Buasong felt around the right side of my back for a while before shaking his head to indicate there was no problem. I had no choice but to give up; it seemed he was only skilled at relocating joints and didn't possess deeper orthopedic knowledge. When he pressed on the injured area of my back, I could feel that the bones felt uneven as if they were fractured; yet he couldn't detect anything.
There was no way to address the injury on my back here, which forced me to change my initial plan and abandon the search for Jack. Lying on this leafy mat, I contemplated what to do next, but my eyelids felt heavy and refused to open.
Rain continued to pour over me, making my body feel even colder. I reminded myself not to fall asleep; at this temperature, dozing off could be fatal. Yet my weary body was beyond the control of my brain; my eyes involuntarily closed.
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