Chapter 1 Extraterrestrial Parasite

(The plot of this book unfolds slowly, so please be patient while reading. If you still find it uninteresting after reading ten thousand words, feel free to lightly scold me for wasting your time. If you enjoy it, please support the author.)

In the sweltering summer heat, the relentless blaze of the sun and the incessant hum of cicadas can be quite overwhelming. By 2 PM, most people prefer to stay indoors, avoiding the harsh weather.

Jack Connors glanced at the passing cars. In this aging neighborhood, there were no traffic lights, making it crucial to be cautious when crossing the street, especially after last month's accident that resulted in one fatality and two injuries—a tragic reminder for everyone living here.

Seeing that the road was clear, Jack crossed the street, keeping his head down as he made his way to his apartment. He navigated through a rundown alley, carefully avoiding puddles of stagnant water. After walking several dozen meters, Jack finally reached his five-story building from the 1980s.

In this alley, many similar buildings stood close together. A glance reveals cluttered clotheslines and a mess of garments, causing one to frown. Despite the squalid environment, the alley is home to many young people from all corners of the country, eager to make their mark in this bustling city of East Coast. They "willingly" live here due to the affordable rent.

Jack, however, is not one of them. His situation is different. Despite being only 24, Jack is far from the penniless adventurers. He inherited this building from his wealthy parents and is one of the landlords that the young residents detest.

Though Jack seems young for a landlord, he is a "rich kid" with inherited wealth. The building came from his parents, and with the rental income, he doesn't need to work. Jack, inherently lazy, was content with this arrangement. After a few unsatisfactory jobs post-graduation, he chose to forgo working, knowing that he wouldn't starve with rental income and a family-owned noodle shop adding to his earnings. He optimistically anticipated a lucrative relocation compensation when the government eventually redeveloped the area.

But Jack's ideal life took a nosedive last night, and his future now feels uncertain. The thought pained him deeply.

He unlocked the door to his apartment on the first floor. As a landlord, Jack had the option to choose the best living conditions, but he preferred the first floor. A childhood trauma from an earthquake had left him with a lasting aversion to high places, fearing he wouldn't be able to escape if another quake struck.

Jack entered the apartment, pressed the light switch, and the two-bedroom, one-living-room space was illuminated. His face turned pale as he picked up a glass of water, sighed deeply, and—

"Bang!"

The glass slipped from Jack's right hand and crashed onto the floor. His expression changed dramatically as he watched in horror as his right hand began to twist uncontrollably. It stretched an extra meter, its rubber-like transformation defying belief.

The scene grew even more terrifying as the transformed hand's palm began to tear apart, revealing layers of flesh that rolled and twisted, eventually forming a mouth.

Yes, a mouth, like a human's but not friendly. It was filled with sharp, glistening teeth, resembling a great white shark's jaws.

Before Jack could fully process the horror, the rubber-like hand suddenly became a blur. The next moment, Jack felt a searing pain on his left cheek as he was slapped, his mouth flying open in a scream as he collapsed to the ground.

"Human..."

After slapping Jack's face, the hand seemed unaffected by Jack's reaction. It bent and stretched on its own, looking down at Jack. Astonishingly, the mouth began to speak.

"I won't repeat myself. If you disobey me again, I won't hesitate to make you experience the true meaning of pain once more."

"I-I won't!" Jack stammered, trembling and lowering his head in fear.

"Hmph, naive. Do you think seeking help from your human security forces will solve anything? With your current technology, discovering the issues within your body is nothing but a wild dream."

The hand continued to stretch and retract, occasionally bringing the mouth closer to Jack's face, intensifying his fear.

Jack realized the truth in the creature's words. In his panic, he had naively hoped that the police could help, only to narrowly escape being committed to a psychiatric hospital. No one would believe his story, and even if someone did, he feared it would be too late for him.

Regrettably, Jack thought, if he hadn't been so reckless last night, he might not have encountered this extraterrestrial menace or suffered such a grim fate.

Even more frightening was that, despite the creature's initial disjointed speech, it now spoke fluently. How did it achieve this?

Humanity's greatest fear is the unknown, and Jack was no exception. He didn't care about the details; he only knew that this entity was definitely not friendly.

In the sixteen hours since the parasitic invasion, he had endured five slaps and thirty stomach blows. Yes, his right hand absurdly attacked his own stomach. Was this some kind of joke?

Previously, Jack would have found this absurd, but now, his hand's bizarre behavior had made this absurdity his grim reality. Facing this, Jack couldn't laugh at all.

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

Jack flinched. The pain in his face made him fear disobedience. He quickly stood up, ignoring the broken glass on the floor, and poured a glass of water with his left hand, placing it beside the right hand.

The hand, like clay, stretched and molded. Its fingers elongated by several inches, wrapping around the glass like ropes, bringing it to the mouth for a quick drink.

The glass was emptied in less than two seconds. The hand released the glass, and Jack swiftly caught it with his left hand, saving it from the same fate as before.

"Um..."

Jack hesitated, nervously stammering.

"Do you have something to say?"

The hand circled, the toothy mouth approaching Jack's face, making him sweat with fear.

"Your heart rate is increasing, and you're sweating. It seems you're struggling with a difficult decision?"

The hand's mouth left Jack's face, spinning in the air before extending to press the button on the living room TV.

The TV turned on with a "pop," displaying the familiar news channel.

In the past, Jack would have had no interest in such news. But today, he sat obediently on the couch, more compliant than a kindergarten student, almost as devout as listening to a sermon.

"From now on, you must spend an hour every day watching the news..."

"W-why?"

"Smack!"

A drop of blood trickled from Jack's mouth. He covered his face with his left hand, terrified, as he looked at the hand.

"I won't repeat myself. Remember, each time you make me repeat something, you'll get a slap."

"I-I understand."

Shaking, Jack dared not defy the alien entity.

"Good. Now, you can ask your question."

The hand focused on the TV, seemingly ignoring Jack.

"I-I... What do you want from me by parasitizing my body?"

"Smack!"