Man Bitten by Two Venomous Snakes While scrolling his phone in Anhui Goes Viral】

According to the Anhui Metropolitan Channel, a man was strolling through a suburban area while scrolling on his phone when he inadvertently stepped on a venomous five‑step snake—known locally as a “hundred‑pacer” viper (Deinagkistrodon acutus). At the same moment the viper was locked in combat with a bamboo leaf green snake, a Chinese green tree viper (Trimeresurus stejnegeri). The sudden encounter left the man with simultaneous bites to both legs, causing rapid swelling.

His daughter, who was with him at the time, recounted that her father was completely absorbed by his device and failed to notice the serpents until the pain struck. “He was just looking at his phone, and the next thing we knew both snakes had latched onto him,” she told reporters. Emergency services were summoned promptly, and the victim received antivenom treatment at a local hospital. He was released from danger within a few days and is now recovering.

The incident’s sheer improbability—being caught in the “crossfire” of two venomous snakes—has sparked a torrent of commentary online. One user wrote, “The probability is so small it can’t be believed; the man’s life really is huge,” echoing the collective astonishment that the episode, which many deemed almost impossible, actually occurred. Others expressed sympathy, with remarks such as, “The man is incredibly unlucky; how could he be so miserable?”

A darker strand of humor also emerged. A Weibo post mused, “It’s truly miserable, but there’s a strange funny side to it,” while another user, self‑described as “Self‑consistent Positive Energy,” offered a tongue‑in‑cheek take on the absurdity of the situation.

Beyond the jokes, the story has become a conduit for public‑health messaging. Several commenters seized the moment to remind readers of proper snake‑bite protocol: “Don’t run, don’t accelerate blood circulation,” warned “Military Brother Six,” a user who also listed steps to avoid worsening a bite. “Seek immediate medical attention, keep the bitten area still, and call for help right away,” echoed “Burning Dream Walker,” who referenced the critical “golden rescue window” for bamboo leaf green snake envenomation.

The two reptiles involved are both highly venomous. The five‑step snake, named for the myth that it can reach a victim in five steps, delivers a potent haemotoxic venom that can cause severe tissue damage and coagulopathy. The bamboo leaf green snake, a striking arboreal viper, carries a neurotoxic venom that can lead to respiratory paralysis if untreated. The simultaneous injection of both toxins could have been catastrophic, which makes the man’s swift recovery all the more remarkable.

Chinese netizens have also taken the episode as a cautionary tale about distracted walking. “If you’re looking at a phone, you might not see a snake ready to strike,” one comment observed, underscoring a broader concern about smartphone use in public spaces.

While the episode may seem like a scene from a surreal movie, it underscores real risks that coexist with everyday activities in rural and suburban China. As the story continues to circulate, it reminds the public that vigilance, rapid medical response, and basic knowledge of snake behaviour can mean the difference between life and death—no matter how unlikely the scenario may appear.