My Yandere Wives Keep Making Me Stronger

Chapter 30: A Rat’s Life [Bonus]

It had been three days since Lucien had been in this land of death. Every moment had been about surviving.

Unlike when he first arrived, he hadn’t killed any beast. All he had been doing was hiding, clinging to the shadows like a ghost.

He had been using the corpse of the double-headed wolf as his shield.

Due to the remnant battle and the corpse of the wolf, it scared off the weaker Volkoids. As for the stronger ones, they didn’t dare risk coming near, as the remnant power that Seraphina had used to kill the wolf was still overwhelming, a lingering pressure that made even the bravest predators think twice.

As for his daily survival, after vomiting when he realized he had eaten what he shouldn’t have, he felt sick at the sight of the wolf corpse. His stomach churned every time he looked at it, the memory of that desperate bite haunting him.

But where could he run to?

When hunger struck, he had no option but to focus back on it. But this time, he used his flame talent to roast the meat, even though it took a long time. His talent was powerful, but controlling it to cook rather than destroy required more patience than he had.

His clothes were already destroyed, and he couldn’t access the inventory to take his clothes, so he used the skin of the wolf to cover his private parts. It was crude, rough, and uncomfortable, but it was better than nothing.

Sleeping? There was nothing like that. He had been awake since that time. He dared not close his eyes, for the fear of death. Every shadow seemed to move, every rustle of leaves sent his heart racing. Sleep was a luxury he couldn’t afford.

Cultivation wasn’t even possible. He didn’t try it because he would just attract the attention of the Volkoids. The moment he released even a wisp of Originat, they would sense it and come hunting.

This was how he had been surviving for the past three days — the life of a rat, the bottom of the food chain.

This was the first time Lucien had lived such a life in either of his lives.

In his past life, he was born into a wealthy family like a prince, and in this life, he was born into a powerful clan. It was only due to his frail body that Lucien had not developed an inborn arrogance. The weakness that had cursed him had also saved him from becoming cruel.

The fourth day arrived. The red sun still glared at the blood-red ground. There was no moon here; the red sun shone for twenty-four hours, bathing the land in its eternal crimson glow.

It was due to the countdown that he was able to monitor how many days had passed.

RUSTLE!

The sound of leaves rustling startled Lucien, who had just finished his breakfast. He moved stealthily, his bare feet silent against the crimson earth. He reached the wolf corpse and immediately cut a part of it. Fresh blood flowed, dark and thick, and he began to use it to rub his body.

Even though it had been dead for days, its corpse looked fresh. He guessed it was due to how powerful it had been before it died. The blood still carried a trace of its vitality, refusing to fade.

It would take long before its body began to rot.

All his body was soaked in its blood, the thick crimson liquid coating his skin like a second layer. Lucien didn’t concern himself with how he looked. Even though he didn’t like this, it was to live.

He concealed his body smell, making himself smell like the double-headed wolf, a scent that would make other predators hesitate. He moved closer, his heart pounding, and wanted to see what had caused the rustling.

He used the body of the wolf as concealment while his gaze scanned where the rustling came from.

From a distance, he noticed the grass was rustling. He held his breath.

From the grasses, a creature slithered out. It moved carefully while surveying its surroundings, making sure it was safe.

When Lucien saw it, it was a small dark python, but it was no ordinary snake. Its scales were matte black, absorbing the crimson light rather than reflecting it. Its body was slender but muscular, coiled with quiet strength. Its eyes were a pale, milky yellow, slit vertically like a predator’s, and its tongue flickered out, tasting the air with quick, precise movements.

But what made Lucien’s blood run cold was the intelligence in its gaze.

This was the first time he was meeting an intelligent creature in this land of death. Every other beast had been driven by hunger and instinct, but this one calculated.

It didn’t immediately come over but looked at the corpse with greed. Its eyes gleamed with hunger, yet it held itself back. After its gaze darted around, surveying the area one last time, it slowly moved back, disappearing into the grasses.

Lucien didn’t make a move to come out. He was still waiting, making sure it was safe.

After a few minutes, the head of the python popped out in a careful manner. It was surveying the surroundings with methodical precision, its tongue flicking out to taste the air.

After confirming it might be safe, it took a step forward, slithering out of the grass. Even though it came out, it didn’t slither straight to the corpse. Instead, it circled around it, moving in a slow, deliberate pattern, making sure there was no trap.

Seeing this, Lucien frowned, feeling dread. Its patience and carefulness were astonishing and dreadful. Such Volkoids were hard to deal with. They didn’t rush. They didn’t make mistakes.

After a few minutes, it moved closer to the corpse, far from where Lucien was hidden. It took a bite from the corpse, its gaze still wandering around vigilantly, never fully lowering its guard.

It still didn’t notice Lucien, who carefully watched it from the shadows. As it fed, Lucien could see a deep gash in its body, the injuries severe, the flesh raw and weeping.

Lucien finally understood why it had made the risk of coming here to eat the flesh of the Volkoid. It wasn’t just hunger. It was trying to heal itself.

As it ate, Lucien could see that the blood had stopped flowing. His heart was still tense, pounding against his ribs like a caged animal.

With the injury, it meant that the python was going to stay here for a long time. And he had no knowledge of such a python with such an appearance. It was unlike anything he had read about.

Even though it had a weak aura, Lucien didn’t dare underestimate it. Its intelligence was too sharp, and for such a weakling to survive in this land of death, it had to be cunning beyond measure.

But the problem was that at this rate, he would be found out. The python was devouring the flesh at a fast speed, and it was closing in on him. Each bite brought it closer, each swallow narrowed the distance between them.

There was no hope of running. He would be spotted the moment he moved.

Lucien looked at it, torn between whether he should attack or not. Maybe the python would leave before it reached his side.

Should he strike first? Or wait for death to find him?