127: parasites

"Someone?!"

The Young Man's expression immediately changed. He turned around, a fierce look in his eyes, and strode back with the bucket.

Soon, he saw that indeed, there was already a person standing in front of the meteorite crater. The person was wearing a white short-sleeved shirt and black shorts, with their back to him. They must have come down from the nearest building.

"Hey, I found this meteorite first. If you know what's good for you, scram!"

The Young Man put the bucket on the ground, his tone vicious.

"Meteorite?"

The security guard, who had followed behind, only then realized what had happened.

Instantly, he also understood why the Young Man in front had told him not to follow earlier.

Meteorites are generally considered to belong to the first person who finds them.

The Young Man was probably worried that he would follow and cause complications.

Meanwhile, the Young Man in the white short-sleeved shirt, hearing the voice behind him, slowly turned around.

"Hiss! What the hell!"

The Young Man was startled and stumbled back repeatedly.

Because the Young Man in front of him had a grotesque and twisted face, with bulging blue veins. He looked even more terrifying than a zombie in a movie, and his eyes were blood-red and frightening.

The security guard behind him was also scared and retreated repeatedly.

At this moment, the Young Man in the white short-sleeved shirt suddenly pounced on the other Young Man, knocking him to the ground. He seemed to be biting him, and blood was flowing.

"Ah! Get off me!"

A scream echoed through the residential area.

"He's biting people!"

The security guard shivered in fear. First, he shouted loudly, hoping to attract help. Then, he dumped the water out of the bucket, picked it up, and with another shout, he forcefully smashed it against the back of the Young Man in the white short-sleeved shirt.

The Young Man in the white short-sleeved shirt seemed unharmed. Instead, he stood up, turned around, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth, his face covered in bulging blue veins, and his blood-red eyes were chilling.

He let out a beast-like roar and instantly tackled the security guard. A scream rang out and quickly ceased.

At this time, several residents, awakened by the screams, came downstairs to check the situation.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

Several residents were carrying brooms, and some were preparing to call the Public Security Bureau.

They walked over cautiously.

In front of them, the Young Man in the white short-sleeved shirt, the first Young Man, and the security guard, all three, had their backs to them.

"Uncle?"

Seeing that the three didn't react, one resident frowned and shouted.

The next moment, all three turned their heads together. All three had similarly blood-red eyes, bulging blue veins, and ferocious faces, like wild beasts.

"What the hell! What's wrong with you guys?!"

Several residents were startled and began to retreat uneasily.

"Roar!"

The three strange people let out beast-like roars and rushed over agilely, instantly tackling several people to the ground.

The night was deep, and dark clouds covered the stars and moon, making the earth even darker.

Several abrupt screams rang out, then abruptly stopped, causing those in their sleep to toss and turn uneasily.

The next morning.

Dark clouds rolled across the sky, completely obscuring the sun, making the entire world appear dim.

Suddenly, with a crack, a deafening bolt of lightning struck down, startling many people.

In an instant, large raindrops poured down, and the heavy rain began. The vast white curtain of rain seemed to envelop the entire world.

"It's raining again!"

Lin Fei ate breakfast, looking out the window.

"It finally cleared up a few times, why is it raining again?"

Chen Xu frowned. He could now get out of bed with crutches and wanted to go out for some fresh air.

Lying down for so many days had already made him feel uncomfortable all over.

"You're awake."

At this moment, the ward door was pushed open, and Brother Niu walked in.

"Let me tell you something, something big has happened in our city. This morning, before dawn, there were several incidents of people being attacked."

"Most importantly, in these incidents, those who were attacked almost all went mad within minutes!"

"The Wildlife and Plant Administration Bureau isn't even qualified to know about this. Only our great National Security is qualified to know!"

Brother Niu said, his tone a mix of excitement and nervousness.

"Holy f*ck! Isn't this a zombie apocalypse!"

Lin Fei jumped up, genuinely scared.

"Damn it! Global biological mutation is already scary enough, you're not going to add a zombie apocalypse to that, are you!"

Chen Xu was so scared that all his fat trembled.

"Don't worry, if those zombies dare to appear, your Brother Niu here will blow their dog heads off!"

Brother Niu laughed, once again showing off his abilities.

"Get lost!"

Lin Fei and Chen Xu said in unison.

"But seriously, is this thing really that contagious?"

After the banter, Lin Fei asked seriously.

"Very high. According to current information, after being bitten, there hasn't been anyone who wasn't infected."

Brother Niu said with a solemn expression, "Should we run away together first? I can arrange a vehicle now. If the situation becomes serious, Shangqing City might be locked down."

"That serious?"

Lin Fei asked.

"I don't know. Or, should I go check again?"

Brother Niu said.

"If this can be cured, even a true zombie crisis isn't that scary."

Lin Fei nodded. In comparison, he felt that if the evolution of wild creatures continued, that would be truly terrifying.

"One day, if the world enters an era where giant beasts roam, with giant beasts tens of meters tall, and even some hundreds or thousands of meters tall, able to withstand nuclear bombs without dying, that would be the true end of humanity."

Lin Fei said.

"A Fei, you have such a wild imagination. Giant beasts hundreds or thousands of meters tall, how is that possible! If they were really that big, their own weight would crush them."

Chen Xu said with disbelief.

"Brother Lin Fei, you're being a bit overly worried."

Brother Niu also laughed heartily.

"In the past, no one would have believed that a pickled cabbage fish could grow to tens of meters long."

Lin Fei said faintly.

Chen Xu and Brother Niu's expressions changed slightly.

"I'll go check on the situation."

After a few short chats, the restless Brother Niu got up and left.

Shangqing City First Health Institute.

This is Shangqing City's best public hospital. In the infectious disease isolation ward, many well-known doctors from Shangqing City, wearing protective suits, were solemnly examining a patient who was completely restrained.

This patient was a Young Man, appearing to be in his early twenties. His face was now ferocious, his eyes blood-red, and his face was covered in bulging blue veins, making him look very frightening.

"The blood test report is out. Eosinophils have increased by 93%, and white blood cells have also slightly increased."

A nurse said.

"Eosinophils increased so much? Isn't this a symptom of Parasite?"

Several doctors exchanged glances, each seeing surprise in the other's eyes.

In the current era of popular web novels, these doctors also read novels, and with film and television works, biochemical zombies were already globally known, and they were all aware of them.

It was because of this that when these infection symptoms were so similar to zombies, they immediately thought of zombies, and had even prepared their last words.

In their minds, the zombie virus was definitely a big boss-level virus that the entire human civilization might not be able to solve, let alone them.

Their greatest hope was just to find a few clues in the early stages to contribute a little to subsequent drug research and development.

"It's not a zombie virus, so there's still hope!"

A doctor said with surprise.

"Indeed, it's all the fault of movies and novels. In this world, it's not just viruses that can control the Host's actions. Many Parasite and fungi can also do it."

"Like horsehair worms, which control the Host to jump into water and drown after maturation, allowing them to continue reproducing. Toxoplasma gondii can make mice actively approach cats. A type of barnacle can control crabs, causing them to change sex, and zombie fungi control ants and other insects."

A middle-aged doctor said.

"Do a body fluid test, and arrange a CT scan immediately."

A doctor said.

The nurses nearby immediately began collecting body fluids from various parts of the restrained patient.

Soon, the body fluids were collected, and the doctors arranged for a CT scan.

While waiting for the CT results, the body fluid test results came out.

"Unknown Parasite, suspected larvae, were found in the patient's saliva."

A nurse said.

"Currently, all known transmissions have occurred after biting."

A relatively younger doctor, only in his thirties, immediately said.

"It seems we've found the pathogen!"

Their expressions were somewhat more relaxed compared to the beginning.

"The CT report is here. A Parasite, estimated to be about ten centimeters long, was found in the patient's brain. It has already burrowed into the patient's brain, located in the cerebral hemisphere."

As another nurse brought the report, the cause of the illness was completely confirmed.