Chapter 1: The Extraterrestrial Parasite_1

In the sweltering summer season, the scorching heat of the sun coupled with the incessant song of the cicadas often makes people feel agitated. At two in the afternoon, very few are willing to leave the comforts of their air-conditioned homes.

Chen Yang looked up at the passing cars. In this old, outdated neighborhood, no traffic lights were installed. Hence, crossing the road demanded great care. The horrifying incident of last month – one casualty and two injured – remained fresh in the minds of the local residents.

Seeing the road clear of any vehicles, Chen Yang crossed the street; his head down, slowly moving towards his building. He trudged through a dilapidated alley, carefully avoiding puddles, until he reached his destination—a five-story building constructed back in the 1980s—after covering a distance of about a few dozen meters.

In this alley, multiple similar apartment buildings were crammed together. A clutter of clothing on drying racks was a common sight, making anyone wrinkle their brow in distaste. However, despite the chaotic and grubby environment, this alley was home to several young people from all parts of the country. They chose to willingly live in such conditions in pursuit of opportunities in the cosmopolitan city of East Sea, primarily lured by the cheap rents.

Of course, Chen Yang was not one of them. His status was a cut above; he wasn't a penniless adventurer but a man of ample capital. He was the owner of that very apartment building and, as such, was one of the landlords who the young residents despised immensely.

Despite being a landlord, Chen Yang seemed a bit too young. At only twenty-four, it was unusual to have substantial assets. But Chen Yang was a fortunate second-generation heir; the apartment building was a part of the inheritance he received from his parents.

Thanks to his ownership of the building, he could live off the rental income without working a day. Being inherently lazy, he was more than happy with this arrangement. After graduation, he did try his hand at several jobs but found none that enticed him. So, he simply relinquished his pursuit of employment. After all, the rental income guaranteed he wouldn't starve. Besides, his parents had left him a noodle shop that supplemented his income. He optimistically believed that if ever the government would decide to tear down this area, he could look forward to a substantial displacement compensation—the future couldn't look any brighter!

Unfortunately, his comfortable life was interrupted last night, putting even his future at stake. The very thought of it brought about a wave of intense pain in Chen Yang's heart.

Entering the building, Chen Yang headed straight for his residence on the first floor. Being the landlord, he had the right to choose the best living environment; however, he didn't fancy living on the second floor or higher. A childhood earthquake had left him with a constant fear of high-rise buildings, so he preferred living near the ground level to ensure a quick escape if any seismic activity were to occur.

Taking out the keys, he unlocked the door and switched on the light. Revelations under the flood of illumination made Chen Yang's face grow even paler. He silently picked up a glass of water and took a sip before heaving a sigh.

"Bang!"

Chen Yang's water glass suddenly dropped from his grip and smashed onto the floor. Chen Yang appeared horrified as his Right Hand began involuntarily twisting at an astonishing one-meter length, like a length of rubber. The sight was uncannily surreal.

And then an even more chilling scene unfolded. His elongated Right Hand began to bend itself, and the center of what was supposed to be his palm started to split apart. Tumultuous flesh buds swiftly transformed into a grotesque "mouth".

Indeed, a mouth-like structure had formed in the center of his palm, exhibiting a not-so-friendly appearance with its full, sharp, serrated teeth comparable to that of a great white shark's.

As soon as the complete transformation of his Right Hand was over, the initial expression of fear had barely registered on Chen Yang's face when his rubbery right hand morphed into a spectral figure. The very next moment, Chen Yang felt a sharp sting on his left cheek; a hard slap sent his saliva splattering, leaving him shrieking and collapsing onto the ground.

"Humans..."

After delivering a slap to Chen Yang's left cheek, the mere Right Hand, independently maneuvering itself—stretching and contracting—began to speak through the "mouth", looking disdainfully down at the fallen Chen Yang.

"I don't wish to repeat myself. If you disobey me again, I won't hesitate to remind you of the meaning of pain."

"I...I won't dare..."

Chen Yang trembling with fear, knelt helplessly on the ground, with his head tucked low.

"Hmph, your naive actions... Do you really think that seeking out your human law enforcement would solve the problem? With your current human technology, discovering the problem in your body is undoubtedly a pipe dream."

The self-controlling Right Hand continued to stretch and contract, bringing the "mouth" closer to Chen Yang's face from time to time, sending shivers down his spine.

Indeed, Chen Yang now realized that the "thing" wasn't wrong. Out of panic, he foolishly thought the police would actually help him. But after reporting his problem to the police station, had he not fled in time, he'd probably be waiting for a psychiatric evaluation by now.

Yes, no one in this world would believe what he had to say. Or rather, even if anyone did believe him, Chen Yang didn't dare to speak out anymore. When he had calmed down, he realized that, whether there was anyone who would believe his 'ravings' or not, if someone actually did, he was probably not far from death anyway.

At this moment, Chen Yang was filled with regret. If only he'd not wandered around aimlessly the previous night, he might not have encountered this alien "thing". Maybe then he wouldn't have been infested by it, and there certainly wouldn't have been his present dire predicament.

What frightened him more was that even though the thing started speaking incoherently like a babbling baby after infestation last night, it was speaking fluently and articulately now. How on earth did it manage that?

The greatest human fear emanates from the 'unknown'. Chen Yang didn't know how this extraterrestrial organism managed it, nor did he have much interest in pondering over its methods. All he knew was that this thing was definitely not friendly toward him.

From last night to now, it had been almost sixteen hours, and he had received five slaps and thirty so-called "stomach hits". Yes, his very own right hand had ludicrously attacked his own stomach. Was this some kind of sick joke?

Had it been before, Chen Yang would have certainly thought it was indeed a joke, but now, his right hand, having been parasitized by an unidentified extraterrestrial creature, made this joke reality. Yet when confronting this very joke, Chen Yang couldn't laugh at all.

"Now, stand up, pour me a glass of water, quickly."

Chen Yang's body shivered. Faced with the words spoken by this thing, the hot pain on his cheek wouldn't allow him to disobey. He quickly got up without regard for the glass shards on the floor, poured a cup of water with his left hand, and held it by his right hand.

His right hand seemed to have turned into modeling clay, capable of freely stretching and even changing shape. Its five fingers suddenly lengthened by several tens of centimeters, like five ropes entwining around the water cup and drawing it close to its "mouth" before pouring it in.

The glass of water was emptied in less than two seconds. As the right hand released the cup, Chen Yang swiftly caught it with his left hand, preventing the cup from suffering the same tragic fate as its predecessor.

"Um…"

Chen Yang hesitated, stuttering and not daring to speak.

"Do you have something to say?"

The right hand rotated, its "mouth" full of sharp teeth approaching Chen Yang's face, which terrified him into breaking out into a cold sweat.

"Your heartbeat is accelerating, and you're sweating. It seems you're making a difficult choice?"

The right hand's "mouth" moved away from Chen Yang's face, rotated in the air once, then suddenly stretched out and pressed the button on the living room TV.

The TV lit up with a "click". The familiar Central News Channel appeared in Chen Yang's sight.

On any other day, Chen Yang would have absolutely no interest in this kind of news, but today, he sat earnestly on the couch, more well-behaved than a kindergarten child, showing more reverence than listening to holy edicts.

"From now on, you must spend an hour each day watching TV…"

"Why, why?"

"Smack!"

A trace of blood seeped from the corner of Chen Yang's mouth, he covered his face with his left hand, looking at his right hand in terror.

"I don't like having to repeat myself. Remember, each time you make me repeat something, you will receive a slap."

"I, I remembered."

Trembling intensely, Chen Yang was completely subdued by this unknown creature.

"Alright, you can say anything you wanted to now."

The right hand stared at the TV, "without turning its head".

"I, I…"

Chen Yang plucked up his courage: "Um, what exactly do you plan on doing by parasitizing my body?"

"Smack!"