"You want to play with her too, right?" Su Yang asked, glancing down at Max, who looked up at him with bright, eager eyes and a gently wagging tail.
"Woof!" Max barked in agreement.
Su Yang smiled and lowered his hand, letting Max get a better look at the little green snake who had been coiled around his palm, happily playing with his fingers.
The moment the snake felt her body lowering, she turned her head to look up at Su Yang's face. Seeing his warm smile, her eyes sparkled with happiness.
But then, something changed.
She suddenly froze.
A presence was approaching her from behind.
Turning her tiny head slowly, the snake saw a large creature moving toward her—big eyes, wide mouth, a huge form compared to her small body. Though Max's face was cheerful and harmless, to her newborn eyes, he was terrifying.
Her violet eyes quivered with fear. Her body trembled. Tears began to gather in the corners of her eyes.
Max, completely unaware of how she saw him, continued approaching with a happy expression, eager to greet her.
But the little snake let out a high-pitched sound—
> "Pe pe pe…!"
—and quickly crawled up Su Yang's arm, wrapping herself around his neck and hiding behind it, trembling like a frightened child.
Max stopped in his tracks, stunned.
His happy expression slowly faded into confusion and sadness. His ears drooped. He lowered his head, visibly heartbroken.
Su Yang saw it all and sighed gently.
> "She's scared of you, Max," he said softly. "She's just a newborn. Her mind is still like a child's. That's why."
Max looked up at him with sad, questioning eyes and let out a low, quiet bark—
> "Woof…"
Su Yang knelt down beside him, placing a hand on Max's head and speaking kindly.
> "I know what you're thinking. You're wondering why she's not scared of me, right?"
He smiled gently.
> "It's because I dropped my blood on her egg. She thinks of me as her family… someone safe. Give her some time, okay? Once she gets used to you, she'll play with you too."
Max blinked, his tail giving a small wag. He nodded slowly, his expression still uncertain, but no longer as sad.
Su Yang turned his attention back to the trembling snake behind his neck. He gently lifted her and cupped her in his hands.
Her tiny body was still shaking. Tears streaked down her cheeks as she looked up at him with innocent, frightened eyes.
> "Shh, it's okay," Su Yang whispered. "There's nothing to be afraid of. Max won't hurt you. He's our friend."
He slowly stroked her back with his finger, soothing her trembling body.
The snake hiccupped softly, her cries slowly fading.
After a while, she curled into his palm and, exhausted from her emotions, closed her eyes. Within moments, she fell into a peaceful sleep.
Su Yang gazed down at her tenderly.
> "She must be really tired. First born, then scared to death, and now crying herself to sleep..."
He gently walked to a soft patch of grass and laid her down carefully, making sure she was comfortable.
> "You sleep here and rest, little one," he said quietly. "We'll be back."
He stood up and turned to Max.
> "Let's leave her here to sleep. We need to find our way to the city."
Max nodded, understanding. Together, they exited the spirit land.
The moment they returned to the real world, Su Yang noticed something unsettling—the bones that had once littered the mountaintop had vanished.
> "All the bones… they're gone?" he murmured. He narrowed his eyes and looked around cautiously. "The spirit beasts in this mountain must've smelled the blood. They came here and devoured everything."
He glanced toward the shadowy valleys below.
> "We should get out of here before more of them show up. It's not safe anymore."
Turning to Max, he asked,
> "Max, can you find the way back to the city? I don't recognize this place. After falling from the waterfall, I lost track of where we are."
Max sniffed the air, took a few steps, then suddenly perked up. He barked once and darted off in a
specific direction.
Su Yang watched him with a smile.
> "Looks like you found the path. Alright, let's go!"