Noble Academy's Mob Character: Reborn as the Campus Heartthrob - Chapter 56

Chapter 56: Beast World

Hearing Qi Yuan’s comforting words, the man’s anxiety eased slightly.

He murmured weakly, “But I don’t really watch wilderness survival shows.”

As if he did.

Qi Yuan scratched his nose. “Me neither.”

“………”

“So, what do we do now?” the man asked after a moment’s silence.

Qi Yuan shrugged helplessly. “Let’s start by looking around. See if we can find somewhere that looks safe, where wild animals won’t bother us at night. If we can’t find anything, we’ll just sleep in a tree.”

“Alright,” the man agreed.

As they brushed past each other, Qi Yuan inadvertently glimpsed the man’s ID card tucked behind his phone’s transparent case: Xu Fu.

They parted ways.

Qi Yuan walked towards the sun, his backpack feeling heavier than he remembered. He hadn’t had time to check its contents yet.

He planned to find an open space first to assess his supplies, then look for a place to take shelter.

Inside the backpack were two bottles of mineral water and a thermos. The thermos’s insulation was surprisingly good; when Qi Yuan opened it, steam still rose from within.

The pack also contained two sets of spare clothes, several loaves of bread, candy, chocolate, and small biscuits—all quick energy sources.

Qi Yuan frowned. It wasn’t that he disliked the food; rather, only a few loaves of bread could actually fill him up. He worried they’d be gone too soon, leaving nothing substantial to sustain him.

After taking inventory, he carefully repacked the bag, shouldered it, and continued his search.

His face lit up visibly when he spotted a tree hollow.

The hollow wasn’t large, but it was just big enough for one person to sleep in. By covering the entrance with his clothes at night, it would make an ideal shelter.

Qi Yuan had found a safe place to sleep that night, but his gaze drifted toward the direction the man had wandered off in, wondering if he had found his own shelter.

Just as he was pondering this, a cry for help pierced the air from nearby.

“Help! Qi Yuan!”

That familiar voice left no doubt in Qi Yuan’s mind who it was.

Hearing the desperate plea, he hesitated. He knew he was as weak as a newborn chick; trying to rescue someone would be like the Calabash Brothers rescuing their grandfather—a suicide mission.

So, what should he do?

Qi Yuan wrestled with the dilemma, torn between conflicting instincts.

Ultimately, he steeled his resolve, deciding to scout the situation first. He’d assess whether a rescue was feasible. If the threat proved insurmountable—some ferocious beast, for instance—he’d take one look and bolt.

When it came down to it, his own life was more important than saving anyone else.

Qi Yuan stashed his backpack in the tree hollow, concealing it with leaves to avoid being encumbered. Then he crept forward cautiously, using the thick trees as cover to conceal himself.

He positioned himself neither too close nor too far from the source of the cries.

Qi Yuan was perched on higher ground, crouching low to conceal himself in the tall grass.

Directly ahead lay Xu Fu, sprawled on the ground, terror etched across his face.

Qi Yuan couldn’t see what had terrified Xu Fu; a massive tree blocked his view.

He waited patiently, and when he finally saw it, he gasped in horror.

What the hell is that?!

A colossal black python emerged from the forest, flicking its forked tongue, its cold-blooded, vertical pupils sending shivers down his spine.

Qi Yuan clamped a hand over his mouth, terrified that his heavy, fear-stricken breathing would alert the python.

Xu Fu was already sobbing, tears streaming down his face.

There’s no way a snake this big could exist in reality! It’s several times my size! This prehistoric creature should have gone extinct ages ago!

This is too terrifying!

His legs went limp, leaving him paralyzed. His heart turned to ashes as he resigned himself to being swallowed whole, accepting his impending doom.

He closed his eyes, bracing for death’s embrace.

But time ticked by, second by agonizing second.

Xu Fu waited in vain for the python to devour him. Cautiously, he cracked open his eyes—only to witness an impossible transformation.

Before his eyes, the colossal python transformed into a man with long black hair, his upper body adorned with a necklace of sharp teeth, his lower half draped in an animal hide skirt.

Nearby, Qi Yuan squinted, finding the python-turned-man’s face strangely familiar.

In his humanoid form, the python flicked his forked tongue, tasting the air. The scent that had captivated him from the moment he first tasted it was undeniably present here.

He had initially assumed it emanated from the female before him, but a closer inspection revealed the truth: their scents were distinct. This female had clearly been in contact with the scent’s owner, and they had separated recently.

He lowered his head, his expression impassive.

“Where is your companion?” he demanded.

Xu Fu’s tears threatened to spill again.

How would I know?!

“I… I don’t know…” he stammered. “We split up to find shelter. I swear, I have no idea where Qi Yuan is.”

Xu Fu looked small, pitiful, and utterly helpless.

On the other side, Qi Yuan couldn’t hear their conversation, but he could roughly discern the python-man’s line of questioning.

Little did he know that the python-man was asking about his very whereabouts. Had he realized this, he would have fled immediately instead of lingering to observe.

After squatting for so long, Qi Yuan’s legs began to numb.

But he dared not move. He’d seen countless scenes in dramas where a supporting character overhears the villain’s scheme, turns to leave, and inevitably steps on a twig or makes some startled noise that alerts the villain, leading to their swift demise.

He had no intention of becoming just another expendable side character.

The giant python sized up the frail female, assuming her companion must also be female. In the jungle, night falls quickly, transforming it into a predator’s paradise. Females rarely survive the night alone.

“Which direction did he go?”

I must find him.

Xu Fu pointed precisely, guided by memory. “That way.”

His aim was unnervingly precise—exactly where Qi Yuan was hiding.

Qi Yuan’s face darkened instantly. Abandoning all dignity, he began crawling frantically across the ground.

His movements were slight, but to the giant python, whose senses were acutely attuned to every rustle of leaves and whisper of wind, it was a clear signal: I’m here.

Found him.

A faint, predatory smile curved the python’s lips as it gazed at Qi Yuan’s hiding spot.

Qi Yuan, meanwhile, continued to crawl.

Until a massive leg loomed before him.

Feigning composure, Qi Yuan straightened up, patted his clothes, lifted his head with a smile, and greeted, “Hello, Mr. Giant Python.”

At that moment, Qi Yuan clearly saw the giant python’s face—it was He Zhou!

He felt like he was seeing an old acquaintance who wasn’t quite the person he remembered.

Staring at He Zhou, Qi Yuan’s fear vanished instantly. He tried to stand up, but He Zhou immediately scooped him up in a princess carry, leaving Qi Yuan feeling slightly awkward.

Remembering the backpack he’d stashed in the tree hollow to avoid being restricted during his escape, Qi Yuan patted He Zhou’s arm, its rock-hard muscles making him involuntarily envious.

“I have something to get. Let’s go get it first.”

Seeing the male offer no resistance, He Zhou obediently followed Qi Yuan’s instructions, carrying him to a tree.

Qi Yuan wriggled out of He Zhou’s arms and retrieved his backpack from the tree hollow.

Just as he was about to sling it over his shoulder, He Zhou snatched it away and swept him back into his arms.

Satisfied that the male was docile and had nothing else to retrieve, He Zhou turned to head back to the tribe.

Trailing closely behind them, Xu Fu desperately tried to keep up, pushing himself to his absolute limit.

Though he desperately wanted to call out to the giant python to slow down—he was falling further and further behind—his cowardice held him back. He could only silently follow in their wake, gasping for breath, until he arrived at the tribe, practically on his last legs.