Vampirzahn

Kapitel 23

"...Can it be cured?"

"No problem. The emergency center has a complete set of specialized equipment for treating burn patients. For severely burned areas, partial autologous transplantation can achieve skin regeneration, making it completely undetectable afterward." "...Really?"

"You, Nagashima, are more worrying. You almost burned to death, you know that? Okay, please, just lie on the stretcher and go to the hospital."

The paramedics hugged Liming tightly from behind, trying to get him back onto the stretcher.

"……no!"

Li Ming broke free from the emergency room doctor.

"What are you talking about?" Shinohara looked at Toshiaki in surprise.

Ignoring Shinohara, Rimei ran straight towards the gate, but his legs seemed to be giving way. Rimei desperately tried to adjust his posture, attempting to stand up again.

"Hey, where are you going? Wait!"

Waves of pain washed over Li Ming, but he gritted his teeth and kept running.

Section 56

“It’s all my fault that my student suffered such misfortune. I’m a bastard,” Li Ming kept cursing himself.

Someone was catching up. No, he couldn't let them catch him here. Li Ming ran with all his might, shaking off his pursuers, and headed towards the parking lot.

"Parasite Eve"

Chapter Five

Li Ming jumped into his car and started the engine.

Shifting gears, pressing the accelerator, releasing the handbrake—this series of actions was completed at lightning speed, and the car roared towards the gate. At the toll booth, Liming floored the accelerator and sped straight through. Once on the road, Liming swung the steering wheel to the right, making a sharp 90-degree turn and entering the driving lane. The rear wheels swayed violently from side to side, screeching. The car raced along the driving lane, speeding through red lights without stopping. The digital timer inside the car showed 6:24. Perhaps the clouds had dispersed, for Liming's vision blurred; the sky appeared slightly dark, as if coated with a thin layer of ink. Fortunately, the traffic on the road was still relatively light. Liming continued to accelerate, overtaking one vehicle after another. The car swayed violently from side to side. He had to eliminate "Eve 1" immediately. He couldn't let it linger in this world any longer, not even for a second.

That wasn't a hallucination; it was truly "Eve1" greeting Liming from inside the flask, changing shape under the microscope to resemble Saint Mei, and calling out to Liming from within "her" brain. All of this was real.

The moment of liberation for the mitochondria has arrived. "Eve1," attached to Asakura, says this. "I am the mitochondria," it says too. It has lurked within them since the time when only single-celled organisms existed. You heard right, that's what it says. If all this is true, then the one standing on the stage, chattering in a loud voice—to be precise, not "Eve1"; transforming into the likeness of Saint-Megami in the flask for Riming to see—that's not something "Eve1" could accomplish. It's the mitochondria.

These are the mitochondria in "Eve1," intertwined like roundworms and constantly dividing. These are the mitochondria, the tiny cellular organelles that Liming has devoted almost all his time to analyzing and studying since he began his lectures on physiological pharmacology. These mitochondria control their host cell, "Eve1."

So, it was it that did that too. This June, during a public lecture in the Department of Pharmacy, Seimei kept questioning Professor Ishihara. At the time, Toshiaki was operating the slide projector and was utterly astonished by Seimei's words; the Seimei he knew was no longer the Seimei he had spent every day with.

After the lecture, Li Ming pressed Sheng Mei for details about what had happened.

Where did you learn about mitochondria?

How did you come up with such a bold hypothesis?

Saint-Mei never gave Liming a clear answer to these questions until the day she died.

Now, the answers to all the questions are clear, and it was all thanks to the mitochondria in the Sacred Body.

At the time, Saint-Mé said that mitochondria would enslave the cell nucleus. And they really did it.

Li Ming recalled a paper he had read sometime before. It described a "Prisoner's Dilemma" game. Two countries are engaged in a diplomatic game. Each country holds two cards: one labeled "Cooperation" and the other "Betrayal." They can choose any action to express their attitude towards the other country. Both countries must play their cards simultaneously. If both play "Cooperation," each country scores three points. If the other country plays "Cooperation" and you play "Betrayal," the other country scores zero points, and you score five. If both countries play "Betrayal," each country scores one point. The two countries try to anticipate each other's moves while deciding their own. Cards are played and played, and the game continues endlessly. This is essentially a simulation of a game about symbiotic coexistence between different species. It simulates how different species in nature, living together, maximize their own interests to ensure their continued survival. To achieve the highest score in this game, the strategy is this: In the first round, show "cooperation," then follow your opponent's lead—play the same card they played last time. Behave docilely at the beginning, but retaliate immediately if you're defeated. This is the so-called "counter-attack strategy." It's a simple method, but considering only the outcome of a simulated game, it's the best way to survive in the harsh natural world. The symbiotic relationship between the host and mitochondria is no exception. From a very, very long time ago, the nuclear chromosome has lived in symbiosis with mitochondria in this way. Undoubtedly, this game will continue indefinitely. At least, the nuclear chromosome is "firmly certain" of this. But what if the game suddenly ends one day?

What if the game is declared over in the next round?

If that's the case, there must be a foolproof way to win. It's to consistently use a "counter-attack strategy" throughout the game, and then at the end, no matter what card your opponent plays, you simply need to play "Betrayal." It's that simple.

The mitochondria decided to end the game at this point. It had decided to cease its symbiotic relationship with the nuclear chromosome set. So, the mitochondria unleashed its "betrayal."

The cell nucleus only transports substances.

"asshole……"

Li Ming bit his lip, thinking bitterly, "This is utterly despicable."

The road leading to the small hill where the pharmacy department was located gradually came into view. Turn left at the T-junction ahead, and then follow that road uphill; that would lead to the pharmacy department. A red minivan was slowly making its way ahead. Liming accelerated, preparing to overtake it before the traffic light changed. At that moment, the traffic light turned yellow.

The minivan braked. Everything happened so suddenly; Li Ming hadn't anticipated it at all. His reaction was too late; Li Ming's car hurtled towards the minivan's red taillights.

"damn it!"

Li Ming turned the steering wheel forcefully.

A car sped towards them from the opposite lane. Li Ming quickly swerved the steering wheel back, weaving between the minivan and the sedan. The sedan crashed head-on into a row of trees on its right. Li Ming continued turning the steering wheel. The car emitted a piercing scream and almost overturned. He heard horns from other cars behind him. Li Ming immediately shifted gears, slammed on the gas, and after crossing the T-junction, he saw tire tracks on the asphalt in his rearview mirror. Without pausing for a moment, Li Ming shifted gears again and accelerated towards the Pharmacy Department.

To what extent can the mitochondria residing in "Eve 1" control their host? This is a question worth considering. Mitochondria are energy producers. Life processes involve energy expenditure. Therefore, in muscle cells, mitochondria play a greater role, releasing more energy. For mitochondria, as long as there is oxygen and nutrients, they can release energy indefinitely. Providing them with β-oxidation inducers would be like adding wings to a tiger.

There were several curves ahead, and Liming sped through them at nearly 80 kilometers per hour. Fortunately, there were almost no oncoming vehicles. The pharmacy department's buildings appeared on the other side of the woods. Almost there. He could see the parking lot in front of the pharmacy department. Liming suddenly turned the steering wheel, the car swerving sharply to the right, making a large arc on the ground. The rear of the car swung up, screeching as it landed. But Liming ignored it all, just kept driving forward.

The white school building came into view. For some reason, the six-story building looked frighteningly large. It was late, and the parking lot was empty. It was Sunday, and everyone had gone to their club activities, so it was understandable that there was no one around.

Li Ming drove straight towards the gate, then slammed on the brakes. The car lurched forward and came to a stop.

Before the car had even come to a complete stop, Li Ming opened the door, jumped out, and rushed into the pharmacy department.

Li Ming didn't even change his shoes; he ran through the gate in his leather shoes and headed straight upstairs. The hard soles of his shoes made a loud thud on the hall floor, echoing throughout the entire school building.

Section 57

Li Ming ran all the way to the fifth floor. The corridor was dark. There was no one there. Li Ming stumbled and staggered as he ran at full speed down the long corridor.

At the end of the corridor was Yu Ming's research room and a culture room.

Li Ming opened the lab door, grabbed the key to the culture room hanging on the wall, went back to the corridor, and tried to turn the key into the doorknob of the culture room. But it wouldn't turn. Li Ming's hands were trembling, and he was panting. Finally, the key turned, and the door opened. Li Ming rushed in; it was pitch black inside. He reached out and turned on the light, and saw the incubator.

With a frantic heartbeat, Li Ming reached for the door of the incubator. He breathed heavily, swallowed hard, and opened the door.

The scene inside is immediately apparent.

Li Ming cried out in surprise.

"Parasite Eve"

Chapter Six

The incubator was filled to the brim with all sorts of oddly shaped chunks of meat. The sweet-smelling culture medium, the rancid-smelling stomach acid, the stinky sweat, and the saliva mixed together emitted wisps of steam that made it hard to breathe, which went straight into Liming's nostrils.

Li Ming involuntarily took a few steps back, feeling nauseous and almost vomiting. However, he wanted to stay and see what was going on.

This mass of flesh appeared to be pieced together from various parts of the human body. First, the female organs were cut off, then flattened like clay, cut into strips, and mixed together. The entire mass was writhing, oozing mucus, and pulsating with a soft, rhythmic "thump." Wet, pink lips were incredibly alluring. A drooling tongue was faintly visible. Several tentacles, protruding from the surface like sandworms, were caressing the body with their fingertips. A dark, reddish-black area on the body was sunken, with a hole in the center, repeatedly contracting along with the surrounding folds. Above that area, a breast, strangely erect like a giant fruit, stood out incongruously among the bizarre organs. The breast swayed gently with the pulse.

The lips of the fleshy lump lifted up, like a snake raising its sickle-shaped head.

"Li Ming..."

Li Ming felt a chill run down his spine.

The snake's body began to swell. From a nodule-like shape, it became tuberous, then swelled all the way to its head, stopping at its lips. Then, the head continued to swell and deform. The outline of a face appeared: a nose rose, tightly closed eyes were revealed, and the forehead widened. It was a human face, a woman's face. Thin, black things grew from the head—hair. They grew rapidly, like earthworms emerging from their burrows. Liming covered his mouth with his hand; he understood—the face of Saint Beauty was about to appear before him.

Saint Beauty opened her eyes.

"Saint-Mei" held Li Ming's gaze firmly. Li Ming tried to turn his face away, but her gaze was locked on him, and he couldn't break free. "Saint-Mei's" eyes were wet, and bright red capillaries filled the area around the whites of her eyes. Her eyes were wide open, staring intently at Li Ming, motionless, as if they were about to bulge out.

"I've been waiting all this time..."

Suddenly, the head of "Saint Beauty" pulled hard, bringing it close to Li Ming.

"I've been waiting, I've been waiting for you..."

"Saint-Mei" kept babbling incoherently and bursting into laughter. A blush rose on "her" face, and she stuck out her tongue, licking her lips.

The area where it joined the head began to bulge, shoulders appeared, and delicate collarbones could be seen. One bare breast hung there, swaying, then stuck tightly to the chest, while the other breast was slowly rising.

Inside the incubator, Saint-Mei's upper body gradually took shape. A flat, constantly rolling mass of flesh transformed into Saint-Mei's slender waist, and her navel appeared. The sides of her torso bulged like fins, and her arms began to separate from the mass of flesh. The undulating, crawling tentacles all converged at her wrists, then, like white fish, thrashed and clung firmly to them. From the sticky liquid, Saint-Mei raised her hands. Perhaps out of joy, she kept waving her slender fingers. Saint-Mei bent her neck back and exhaled a long breath. She touched her throat with both hands, then slowly caressed her chest, and then her waist.

Li Ming was trembling uncontrollably.

The "Saint-Mei" before them was exactly the same as the Saint-Mei in life. The smooth curves of her shoulders, the full curves of her chest, the slender curves of her waist—all of these were as precise as if they had been measured. However, the monster writhing in the incubator was soaked through, its skin constantly flowing like waves, lacking the smooth texture that the skin of a living person should have.

Li Ming felt an itch in his throat, and something sour and rancid welled up inside him.

"Saint-Mei" smiled sweetly. Her lips were like a ripe, pink fruit, about to burst open. Her long eyebrows were furrowed into a knot. Her eyes were wet, with a few large tears falling from the outer corners. She revealed a lustful, sensual smile that Saint-Mei had never shown in her life.

“Liming…I’ve been waiting for you…”

"Saint-Mei" meowed like a cat, placed one hand on the door of the incubator, and then nimbly shrugged her shoulders forward.

The pieces of meat scattered in the incubator fell to the floor with a "plop," making a disgusting sound. Droplets splashed onto Liming, who instinctively raised his hands to protect himself.

The chunks of flesh that had fallen to the floor rolled and rapidly changed shape. The remaining internal organs, whose fates were yet to be decided, the vagina and uterus rushed towards "Saint-Mei's" waist like a waterfall flowing upstream. At the same time, the curves below "Saint-Mei's" waist were formed, as if chiseled out. Then, a vertical slit opened in the middle of her waist, and the uterus entered "Saint-Mei's" body. "Saint-Mei" gently swayed her hips from side to side for Liming to see.

"Liming, look at my body."

Saint Beauty took a step forward.

A sweet, delicate voice echoed in the culture room.

Taking another step forward, the sound grew even louder.

Section 58

Li Ming covered his mouth and took a step back. But he was far too close to "Saint Beauty".

Saint Beauty's feet had taken shape; the heels and toes were still vague chunks of flesh, but caterpillar-like toes had begun to grow. Saint Beauty took another step forward.

“Look, this is my body.” “Saint-Mei” continued, “You still remember, don’t you, Liming? This body, you have embraced it tightly a thousand times. You have kissed my whole body. I will never forget… You licked my neck with your tongue, you held my breasts tightly with your hands, you thrust powerfully inside me, you loved me… you only loved me.”

No, the person I love isn't you! Li Ming tried to shout it out, but vomited as soon as he opened his mouth. Li Ming stumbled backward, bumping into something behind him. It was the door to the incubation room.

"Come on, love me, hold me tight like before, come into my body, come on, love me to your heart's content, until the world turns upside down."

Li Ming shook his head desperately. But "Saint Beauty" still approached Li Ming with a smile, provocatively opening her arms, and Li Ming rushed out of the incubation room.

Where should I escape to? I don't know. The dark corridor stretched to the left and right. "Saint-Mei" slowly emerged from the room.

Diagonally opposite was his research lab. Liming tried to ram the lab door with his body. The door was locked. But the door was wooden and old; when Liming rammed it again, the latch on the door flew off. Liming ran inside, trying to barricade the door from the inside. He frantically searched around for anything he could use. He found a mop hanging beside him and quickly grabbed it to prop the door shut.

"Why are you running, Liming?"

A mocking laugh came from outside the door. Li Ming used his entire body to block the door. "Saint Mei" was right outside the door.

"It's no use doing this."

A loud "whoosh" came from outside the door, like water being poured out of a bucket. A sticky liquid flowed into the room from under the door. It was flesh. A solution of flesh. Outside the door, "Saint-Mei" transformed herself back into amorphous flesh, then flowed into the room. Inside, it began to take on Saint-Mei's form again. Soon, Saint-Mei's upper body appeared. "She" smiled contentedly, supporting herself with her hands as she raised her body.

Li Ming let out a hoarse cry. He hurriedly hid by the door. He could see almost nothing in the room, only groping his way out in the darkness. A faint light shone from an LCD lamp somewhere. That was his only hope. Just then, Li Ming's shin slammed into the corner of a chair, causing him to cry out in pain, his stomach acid gushing from his mouth.

"Saint-Mei" caught up and grabbed Li Ming's sleeve. Li Ming hurriedly struggled to break free. But "Saint-Mei" relentlessly pursued him and closed in.