Her body shot up from the ground as if recoiling, heavy shackles clamped around her ankles, hindering her movement.
As she tried to dodge, the iron chain clanked, causing the snake to approach even faster.
Her heart leaped into her throat.
Her heart hammered so fast it felt like it would burst from her chest.
In her desperation, she bent down, snatched up a thicker tree branch from the ground, and without a second thought, swung it hard at the snake’s head just before it lunged.
She missed. The snake, enraged, flicked its forked tongue more rapidly, accelerating towards her.
Sophie Sullivan dared not hesitate. By now, her palms were slick with sweat.
Ignoring everything else, she immediately launched a second attack.
This time, she hit the snake’s head.
She took a deep breath and struck it hard, several times in rapid succession.
The snake’s long body coiled around the branch, tightening its grip until it finally went still...
「One minute passed...」
Once Sophie confirmed the snake was lifeless, she used the tree branch to fling it far away.
She let out a long, shaky breath. How could she have forgotten? The forest was teeming with all sorts of creatures.
If she hadn’t been vigilant and woken up just now, the snake might have bitten her.
If it wasn’t venomous, that would be one thing, but if it was...
Alone in this vast forest, her cries for help would go unanswered. She would likely just die here. The source of thɪs content is 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹✶𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲✶𝗻𝗲𝘁
Gazing at the spot on the ground where the snake had slithered, a chill ran down her spine. She didn’t dare sit down, nor could she bring herself to lean casually against a tree trunk.
Who knew if another snake might crawl down from a tree? Or some other terrifying creature?
"Damn you, Thomas Shannon! You better keep me locked up here forever!"
He’d better pray she never got out!
Sophie stared at the heavy ankle chain fastened around her ankle, fury blazing in her heart.
"What did you say?" a man’s voice suddenly interjected.
Sophie glared furiously at the newcomer. Thomas Shannon hadn’t expected to be greeted by her curses the moment he arrived.
It was, indeed, quite a surprise.
Thomas Shannon wasn’t alone; behind him stood Charlie River and a group of black-clothed bodyguards.
The strange thing was, despite so many people approaching, Sophie hadn’t heard a thing.
She shot Thomas Shannon a furious glare, her lips tightly pursed, her eyes conveying all her dissatisfaction and rage.
Sophie said nothing. Thomas Shannon sneered; he had heard her curses moments ago, even if she was silent now. He walked up to her.
The man reached out, his slender, pale fingers tipping up her chin. "You wish to stay here forever, is that it?"
"Hmm? So, it was you spouting nonsense?"
As much as she wanted to deny it, Sophie definitely didn’t want to stay here forever!
Sophie squeezed her eyes shut, her jaw tight. "Thomas Shannon, what exactly do you want?"
"Don’t you already know?" The man’s calloused fingertips brushed against her smooth, delicate chin. "This is your punishment."
Punishment? She desperately wanted to slap him! She wanted to punish *him*!
Sophie defiantly knocked his hand away and turned her face aside, her expression haughty as she refused to even look at him.
Thomas Shannon chuckled, his laughter low and deep. "Truly a little wildcat."
Speaking of wildcats, Harry finally sauntered over from the back of the group, letting out a delicate meow.
It tilted its head, looking first at Thomas Shannon, then at Sophie.
Then it froze, seemingly contemplating the very essence of its feline existence.