I watched helplessly as death crept closer, unable to do anything.
I had no regrets about the decision to save Shangguan Yao.
In my worldview, I'd rather be a hero for five seconds than a coward for a lifetime!
As the giant bird's beak was about to close and swallow me whole, a sudden idea struck me.
*Swish!*
In the nick of time, at the very last second as the beak descended, I thrust my alloy knife vertically into its mouth.
The giant bird screeched with its mouth open, unable to bite down further.
Drool cascaded down like a waterfall.
I was drenched in the bird's foul-smelling saliva, but I couldn't care less. I held the knife steady, unwilling to budge an inch. If the blade shifted even slightly, all of us might end up as bird food!
Time ticked by, second by agonizing second.
The giant bird, unlike a human, felt discomfort in its mouth. It let out a cry and thrashed its head, trying to break the knife.
*Thump! Thump! Thump!*
Its head repeatedly smashed against the cave walls, leaving deep and shallow gouges.
I was violently thrown around with each impact, but my grip on the alloy knife remained unyielding, firmly wedging the monster's mouth shut.
Even if I die today, I won't let you have it easy!
In a daze, I saw Shangguan Yao standing there, stunned. An idea sparked. I struggled to free one hand and tossed the handgun towards her, shouting, "Quick! Shoot into its mouth!"
It suddenly occurred to me that even if the bird's exterior was like steel, I refused to believe its interior could withstand the crystallization of human ingenuity!
Shangguan Yao shakily caught the handgun, fumbling to release the safety. She tried several times but failed.
"Shangguan Yao, stay calm, shoot!"
I gritted my teeth, trying to soothe her. The giant bird's jaw strength was increasing, and the alloy knife was starting to bend, likely to snap any second.
If that happened, I'd really be off to meet Xu Jiaojiao.
Shangguan Yao finally managed to release the safety.
"Bang!"
A deafening shot rang out. Shangguan Yao fired into the bird's mouth. The powerful recoil sent her sprawling to the ground.
But thankfully, the bullet hit!
A visible gaping hole appeared in the bird's mouth. It let out a pained shriek and recoiled with a wild cry.
I seized the opportunity, scrambling out of the giant bird's mouth onto the ground with the alloy knife.
The giant bird extended its head out of the cave entrance, blood gushing uncontrollably onto the ground.
Its pair of blood-red eyes glinted with malevolence.
I quickly shielded Shangguan Yao and retreated, keeping a wary eye on the creature, prepared for any unexpected move.
I had thought this injured monster would retreat, but to my surprise, it seemed accustomed to ruling the island. The severe injury only intensified its ferocity.
The creature let out a few roars and began to ram itself forcefully against the cave entrance.
With each violent impact, loose stones rained down from the cave ceiling.
A sense of unease washed over me.
Not good. This monster had changed tactics. It no longer seemed interested in hunting us, but in collapsing the cave entrance and burying us alive!
I watched the giant bird's actions, a knot of anxiety tightening in my chest.
But for the moment, I had no way to stop it.
Even though the giant bird was injured internally, a dying centipede still has its strength.
With only the knife in my hand, I was completely outmatched.
Debris quickly covered half of the cave entrance. Despair began to spread within me.
Could a miracle happen this time?
Suddenly, I heard silence from outside. I poked my head out and saw that the giant bird had stopped ramming! It was no longer paying attention to us, but had turned towards the interior of the island.
The hearing range of common birds spans from below 50 Hz to 12,000 Hz. At sufficient volume, common chickens can hear ultrasound up to 56,000 Hz, and rock doves can detect infrasound as low as 0.05 Hz.
So, I wondered, could something have happened in the center of the island that the giant bird could sense?
At the same time, my vigilance remained high. I continued to watch it intently. I had reason to suspect this was another feint. After all, this giant bird's intelligence was not to be underestimated.
Time crawled by, my nerves taut, each moment feeling like an eternity.
Finally, the bird moved. It ignored us and rushed directly into the depths of the jungle. Although I couldn't see its expression, its posture suggested a sense of urgency.
This time, it seemed it was truly leaving. I breathed a sigh of relief, and a profound sense of powerlessness washed over me.
I couldn't imagine how one would defeat such a monster if encountered in the wild.
This nameless island was more dangerous than I had imagined.
With the crisis averted, I took a moment to compose myself and, leaning on Shangguan Yao, we made our way back into the depths of the cave.
Everyone sat anxiously around the campfire, awaiting our return.
Luo Yaqin, seeing my and Shangguan Yao's disheveled state, exclaimed in alarm, "Lu Ziye, are you alright? Come, let me see!"
Without further ado, Luo Yaqin pulled me to the campfire and meticulously examined my body.
Fortunately, I hadn't been directly harmed by the giant bird, only sustaining some scrapes. It took her a long while before she finally let out a relieved sigh.
A shiver of fear ran through me, realizing that if the giant bird's sharp beak had pierced my body, I would have been a goner.
While Luo Yaqin was tending to me, Shangguan Yao was intermittently recounting the terror of the giant bird to the others.
Upon hearing her tale, they felt a mix of relief and lingering fear.
As I listened, a wave of exhaustion washed over me.
My eyelids grew heavy, and I drifted off to sleep.
I didn't know how long I slept. In my dreams, I relived the horrifying scene of the giant bird swallowing me whole. I struggled desperately, but to no avail.
"Hiss!"
I was startled awake from my dream and instinctively looked outside. The sky had already darkened.
Luo Yaqin was by my side, wiping sweat from my brow. Seeing me stir, she signaled to Guan Hai'er to bring me a bowl of soup.
"Thank heavens you're awake! You just fell asleep without a word, you really scared me."
My stomach was growling with hunger. I took the soup from Guan Hai'er, not even waiting for it to cool, and gulped it down.
Seeing me eat so ravenously, Guan Hai'er gently patted my back.
"Brother Ye, don't rush. I'll get you more from the pot."
Only after finishing the bowl of soup did I feel a sense of fullness, as if I had come back to life.
Even now, it felt like a dream that we had actually survived that terrifying monster!
Amidst the joy of my narrow escape, a tinge of sadness lingered.
Poor Xu Jiaojiao, killed just like that by the giant bird.
Seeing the wind and snow outside intensify, I temporarily put aside the thought of burying Xu Jiaojiao.
That night, I didn't speak much with the others. I didn't want to think about anything and went to bed early after eating.
The next morning, I was jolted awake by Guan Hai'er's vigorous shaking.
"Brother Ye, look outside!"