Neva gasped, weakly retreating a few steps, her body accidentally brushing against the stem and leaves of a nearby plant.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."
The faint but clear sound startled the giant python lying on the sand. It raised its fierce, massive head high, its four vertical pupils looking towards Neva's position.
"Thump, thump, thump..."
Neva felt as if she could hear her own heart beating wildly. Of course, this was just her illusion; this eerie crystal heart wouldn't beat. Although it sometimes showed subtle vibrations, these vibrations were not affected by Neva's emotions.
The Golden Scaled Python flicked out several forked tongues, like octopus tentacles, catching scent particles in the air.
This terrifying scene made Neva give up on thinking entirely.
Darn it, another monster in the skin of a familiar animal!
But to Neva's surprise, after only a few glances at her, it relaxed its guard, lazily lay down, and continued to bask in the sun.
It looked as if it wasn't interested in her... After a few seconds of stunned silence, she quickly retreated into the bushes behind her, and the heart she had been holding in her chest finally settled.
Only then did she have the presence of mind to consider what had just happened.
What's going on? Was she... rejected?
Did the Golden Scaled Python think her too small to be worth eating, or did it find her too unpalatable?
While self-doubting, Neva also had a strange thought.
Speaking of unpalatable, whether it was a Worm or an Insect Bone Frog, their taste was enough to make Neva question Worm life. So what about her, who was originally a Gluttonous Worm? Was she also very unpalatable?
A little curious... but only curious. She wouldn't want to verify it.
At this moment, the crystal heart's notification sound interrupted Neva's musings.
The Golden Scaled Python is a common creature in the outer forest. Its prey does not include small insects, and the special taste and flesh of the Gluttonous Worm cause the Golden Scaled Python to instinctively feel aversion.
Although the host's form has changed, it still carries the scent of a Gluttonous Worm. Therefore, the Golden Scaled Python will choose to ignore the host's existence, but it is still recommended that the host maintain a safe distance from it.
Neva was somewhat stunned, not expecting that her former identity as a Gluttonous Worm had saved her life.
In short, it was still because the Gluttonous Worm was too unpalatable!
After a distant glance at the Golden Scaled Python, Neva could only quietly leave.
It made sense; in the forest, areas with abundant food and resources would not be occupied by weak creatures like her.
This was the Golden Scaled Python's hunting ground. Although it wasn't interested in Neva, if she trespassed or stole its food, the consequences would be dire.
But this didn't mean she gave up on settling here!
The stream bank was the Golden Scaled Python's territory. To avoid provoking it, Neva decided to settle for the next best thing and search for a dwelling a bit further away from the Golden Scaled Python.
There were two reasons for this:
Firstly, other places also had powerful Life Clan members. They might also occupy an area like the Golden Scaled Python. If she left here, she might enter the territory of other Life Clan members, and they might not be as disdainful of her as the Golden Scaled Python, perhaps not minding a temporary snack.
Secondly, since the Golden Scaled Python could live so leisurely in this area, it indicated that there should be no creatures stronger than the Golden Scaled Python here. She could use the Golden Scaled Python's deterrent power to protect herself and grow safely. This was a free "bodyguard," and who doesn't like free things!
Neva thought as she moved forward.
Among the Life Clan members she had seen, Tugatos was currently the strongest, the Golden Scaled Python temporarily ranked second, and the Gluttonous Worm Complete Form in the underground cave had been pushed to third place.
Although there was a huge difference in strength between them, they all possessed the title of "slayer."
Neva didn't know how to obtain titles yet, nor did she know what their purpose was.
But this didn't stop her from looking forward to acquiring a title.
She vaguely guessed that this somewhat common "slayer" title might be related to data ratings or the number of Life Clan members killed.
Perhaps she was too engrossed in thought, as Neva completely failed to notice the path ahead and crashed into the trunk of a tree, her head colliding with the trunk, producing a dull thud.
"Ah! Ouch, ouch, ouch..."
She covered her head with her front limbs, looking quite comical.
"Darn tree!"
She furiously chopped at the tree trunk with her front limbs, venting her anger helplessly like a human infant injured by an inanimate object. Perhaps her current mental capacity was even less than that of a human infant.
After chopping for a long time, she only left a few shallow scars on the bark. The tree was fine, but she was exhausted, and fatigue made her reason once again take over.
Most of the tree species in the forest were strangely spiral-shaped, looking very peculiar.
The variety of trees was also very complex, but two types were most prominent: one was the giant trees in the distance that touched the sky, which her heart had told her were called cloud trees.
Their canopies reached into the clouds, which was quite fitting. The other, more common type, had trunks and branches that seemed to be composed of intertwined vines, with slightly purple leaves. This tree was called the purple vine tree.
What stood before her now was a purple vine tree.
Neva looked up at the trunk. There was a large tree hole in the twisted, rope-like trunk.
Hey! This tree hole looks good!
She looked surprised.
After spending more than ten seconds climbing, she reached the edge of the tree hole and then cautiously peered inside.
This tree hole was not unoccupied. A spider-like Life Clan member, only half of Neva's size, was curled up in a dark corner, emitting fearful and helpless hisses towards Neva.
This was a creature called a Vine Spider, extremely weak, with no rank, and its only ability was "Spit Silk."
Neva had no sense of being a "guest" whatsoever. After swallowing the weak "host" into her belly, she naturally became the new owner of this tree hole.
The weak Vine Spider provided her with a total of 0.2 Evolution value, which was better than nothing!
The inside of the tree hole was very dry. Aside from some messy cobwebs, the cave was fairly tidy.
"From now on, this will be my 'home'!
She declared solemnly.
Time passed quickly. After tidying up the tree hole, Neva noticed that the sky outside was gradually dimming.
So this world also has day and night!
The light orbs in the sky disappeared in unison, and the entire forest was plunged into silent night.
Under the cover of darkness, the forest became even more dangerous and terrifying. All sorts of strange sounds sent shivers down Neva's spine. The terrifying creatures that hadn't appeared during the day began their revelry, and the air seemed to be filled with a suffocating atmosphere.
But it wasn't complete darkness. The Fluorescent Forest beneath the distant cloud trees became even brighter and more enchanting, like bright lamps in the darkness, and also like the fires of death attracting ignorant lives.
The stars in the sky were clearer than during the day, points of starlight converging into a dazzling sea of stars, looking both dreamlike and mysterious.
The ten light orbs hanging in the sky during the day, while they could be considered the suns of this world, Neva felt they might not be true stars.
Those distant stars were the true celestial bodies in the meaningful sense. Leaning her head against the edge of the tree hole, Neva stared blankly into the depths of the starry sky.
And it had been more than half a month since she arrived in this world. This incredible experience often made it hard for her to distinguish between reality and dream.
Which of the stars in the sky was her original world? Or had she already left her original universe?
Her brain couldn't help but wander, her thoughts drifting to who knew where.
To say she didn't miss it would be a lie, but what exactly she missed, she couldn't articulate.
Family?
Her parents had died in an accident when she was very young, which fit the typical background of a transmigrator.
Having grown up with her uncle's family since childhood, she had no concept of her parents, only vague outlines in her memory.
Her family, she supposed, was just her uncle's family.
The melodramatic plot of being neglected and scorned, common in novels, hadn't happened to her.
Everyone was kind to her. Although she had no parents, she had gotten both relatives and friends as she wished, and she had even been admitted to a good school in the end.
It was such an ordinary life, yet also somewhat boring and monotonous, as if something had been missing from beginning to end.
Of course, even with regrets, she lived optimistically, because she was afraid of death, she longed to live. Unfortunately, this wish of hers was not fulfilled.
After being reborn as a Worm, all she could do was desperately try to survive. She wondered if this was punishment for her insatiable desires.
Neva sighed.
"Forget it, I'd better go to sleep!"
Clearing useless thoughts from her mind, Neva lay in the corner of the tree hole, curled up into a ball, and fell into a dream.
But just then, faint red patterns seemed to form on Neva's body, appearing and disappearing, looking very eerie.
Subsequently, the patterns gradually became clearer and brighter.
Neva's expression in her sleep became painful, as if she were experiencing a terrifying nightmare...