parasitism eve - Chapter 22
What did she just say?
Asakura continued unhurriedly:
"Those of you gathered here today are fortunate. You will have the opportunity to hear a story about the coming new world for the first time. And I am also very happy to have this opportunity to tell this story to everyone here."
Liming blinked in confusion; what Asakura was saying now was completely different from what he had said during the rehearsal.
"Before this, I lived within your bodies, observing the process of human evolution. All of this is preserved in my memory. Yes, you can clearly recall the story of the woman known as the 'Mitochondrial Eve,' right?" The room erupted in noise. Everyone looked bewildered, unsure what was happening. The host was even more confused, his mouth agape, his gaze shifting between Asakura's face and the schedule. "Here, even without my explanation, you probably already know… but to be on the safe side, I'll tell you first. As we all know, mitochondrial DNA, lacking nucleosomes, is highly susceptible to reactive oxygen species. Therefore, it undergoes sudden mutations about ten times faster than the nuclear genome. So you wondered if you could use it as a biological clock? You calculated how many years it takes for mitochondrial DNA to undergo residue mutations. If you extract mitochondrial DNA from two different organisms and investigate the differences between their DNA sequences, you can determine when these two organisms began to diverge during evolution. In other words, you can depict an evolutionary phylogenetic tree." Indeed. Using this method, several significant discoveries have indeed been made in biological evolution research in recent years. However… Liming was completely baffled; what exactly was Asakura trying to say? "So, you all tried to use this method to determine the ancestor of humankind. You took mitochondrial DNA from people of various races, investigated the degree of change, and discovered that all races ultimately originated from a woman in Africa. Therefore, based on the myth of Adam and Eve, you named that African woman 'Mitochondrial Eve.' In short, Homo sapiens originated in Africa and then spread throughout the world. This is what you call the 'Out of Africa' theory. However, recently, various different theories seem to have emerged about this... I assure you that 'Mitochondrial Eve' is indeed in Africa, and I can even pinpoint her location correctly. If you ask why, it's because all of this is stored in my memory. I am Mitochondrial Eve. Of course, before that, I was lurking in a life form you named 'Lucy.' Going further back, I was also lurking in small mammals and fish. By the way, I was lurking inside you when you were still weak single-celled organisms." The noise grew louder.
"What's going on!" Shinohara grabbed Toshiaki's wrist.
Liming stood up involuntarily; everything was inexplicable. But without a doubt, Asakura had gone mad.
"Ah, what do you mean by this...?"
The panicked host shouted, trying to interrupt Asakura. Asakura, however, gave the host a terrifying look and glared at him menacingly.
Suddenly, the host clutched his chest and began to groan repeatedly. "Hot...hot..." His mouth opened and closed incessantly. Suddenly, he slumped face down on the table, his face flushed red.
Upon seeing this, chaos erupted in the arena. Then, screams rang out from somewhere.
"Quiet!" Asakura shouted.
The microphone seemed about to shatter, its howling echoing throughout the entire venue. Everyone was startled by the sound, standing there, frozen in place, unable to move.
Liming stood there, staring at Asakura.
The host was bubbling from the mouth, looking like he was dying from the heat. As the howling gradually subsided, Asakura returned to his initial expression and then smiled gently.
Leming felt a chill run down his spine. It was the kind of contemptuous smile the Queen gave to a group of prisoners about to be tortured.
"Listen to me quietly, or you'll end up like the host."
A gurgling sound came from someone's throat.
After glancing around at the extremely nervous audience, Asakura began to speak.
"I've been waiting for this day, waiting for you humans to evolve into what you are today. Although I've helped you a lot, seeing you hold a conference and publish your research on me still makes me extremely happy. Because before this, I conducted so many experiments and experienced so many failures, and now—all my efforts have finally paid off. It took so much time to get to this point. When the path of dinosaur evolution was interrupted, I really worried a lot. But you survived and evolved into what you are today, exceeding my expectations. I'm very satisfied. Thank you, your mission is complete." Suddenly, Asakura's voice changed. "I'm different from you."
Asakura's handbag fell from Toshiaki's hand.
Section 54
It was Saint Mei's voice.
Liming's knees began to tremble in disbelief! The voice coming from Asakura's mouth was now that of Seimei, unmistakably Seimei's voice.
Asakura continued in Seimei's voice: "What I've always found incredible is that, since you all know mitochondrial DNA is prone to mutation, why haven't you noticed my existence? I mutate at ten times the rate of your chromosomes. In other words, I'm evolving at ten times the speed. The history of your human evolution is the history of my battles with you and my victory in evolution. And from now on, evolution has entered a brand new stage. I now declare that this new era has begun. From now on, this world will continue to prosper in the hands of my descendants. My descendants are a completely new, ultimate life form. They will be perfect beings, possessing the abilities you humans have and the abilities unique to me. Unfortunately, you will not have the chance to see the day when the world they rule prospers. Because, just as apes were driven out by your ancestor Homo sapiens—you too will soon be completely wiped out."
"Saint-Beauty" continued her speech, a self-absorbed expression on Asakura's face.
Asakura is the "Mitochondrial Eve," how does that mean?
Li Ming seemed to have made a connection to something from the word, and exclaimed "Ah!"
It is "Eve1".
The one chattering away wasn't Asakura, but "Eve1".
That's truly wishful thinking. But Riki is convinced that it's the truth: "Evel" is attached to Asakura, using Asakura's mouth to spout nonsense.
"Shut up!" Li Ming shouted.
The air inside the room seemed to freeze.
All the audience members stared at Liming in astonishment, frozen in place, their hair as stiff as stone. The lights, the air, the sound—everything seemed to freeze. The entire hall was deathly silent. Of everyone present, only one person moved slowly: Asakura.
She slowly lowered the hand that had been raised high during her speech to the podium. Her mouth, which had been speaking with such smugness, now fell silent. Her expression returned to calm, no longer appearing so aggressive. Her slightly raised eyebrows lowered as if a bird had laid down its wings to rest.
Asakura calmly turned his face to Rimei, staring intently into her eyes.
Then Asakura laughed lewdly.
"Li Ming..."
"Saint Beauty" spoke, her voice sweet and delicate, with a nasal tone. Her eyes were like pools of autumn water, and she gazed at Li Ming with a burning intensity.
Li Ming couldn't help but look away.
Why aren't you looking at me? Liming, don't you recognize me?
The atmosphere inside the room seemed to have been released from a spell, and it became noisy again. Asakura began to use Seimei's voice to seduce Rimei once more.
"You didn't treat me like this before. Have you forgotten? Liming, look at me. Come on, look at me. What kind of pose do I need to strike for you to like?"
Liming bit his lip and heard Asakura's sneer.
Asakura continued in a mocking tone, "Yes, you wouldn't like this body. I know very well what kind of body you're interested in. You wouldn't like it if it wasn't my body."
"Shut up!" Riming roared. He couldn't listen anymore, his eyes wide with fury as he glared at Asakura. "I know you're in charge. Get off Asakura now!"
"What are you talking about? Aren't I Saint Beauty?"
“You are not. You…you are ‘Eve1’. You are the cell I cultivated.”
"So you finally understand?" Asakura said with a crooked smile.
"Get off Asakura quickly."
"...Alright then, I'll do as you say."
As soon as she finished speaking, Asakura's body convulsed violently. Her eyes rolled back, her mouth opened wide, and her red tongue drooped limply outside her mouth.
Everyone in the venue gasped in shock.
A nauseating "glug-glug" sound came from Asakura's mouth. Saliva dripped from Asakura's mouth like candied fruit. Asakura kept scratching at his neck.
not good!
As if someone had shoved him, Riming suddenly strode forward, rushing towards the podium where Asakura was standing. Several rows of chairs tripped him. He pushed the chairs aside, squeezed through the crowd, and stumbled along, calling Asakura's name. He was moving too slowly; it was frustrating.
Something emerged from Asakura's throat.
It was completely enveloped in liquid, gleaming with an oily sheen. Liming couldn't tell if it was saliva or gastric juice. It writhed softly in Asakura's mouth, then slowly crawled out, like an octopus emerging from the water. It spread its tentacles, covering Asakura's face, then grabbed his hands that were clawing at his throat, and continued its advance, attacking Asakura's chest. It effortlessly changed shape, constantly writhing, until it completely covered Asakura's body. Asakura's body heaved up and down with a "thump-thump."
With a churning sound like sludge, it emerged entirely from Asakura's body, looking like a wrinkled lump of flesh, an amorphous, slippery meat monster. It seemed to have turned its digestive organs inside out and covered Asakura's body.
Riming heard it. Others might not have heard it, but Riming certainly did at that moment. Around Asakura's face, which had been completely swallowed by it, he heard a faint voice saying, "Help me." It was Asakura's own voice.
"Asakura!"
Li Ming shouted, and before he finished speaking, Asakura was engulfed in flames.
"Parasite Eve"
Section 55
Chapter Four
A loud "Bang!" echoed throughout the venue.
The temperature inside the venue rose sharply. Hot air surged up like a giant vortex, turning the ceiling orange.
The wrinkled mass of flesh encasing Asakura burst into flames, burning like oil. The raging flames changed from red to bright red, then to yellowish-white. The fire was intense, shooting straight to the ceiling. Asakura's body transformed into a pillar of fire.
Shouts filled the air. Everyone rushed towards the door, fifty or sixty people swarming into the narrow exit. The crowd grew angry and began pushing and shoving. Chairs crashed to the ground with a clatter. Someone was knocked over near the door, and those who followed trampled over them.
Li Ming took off his suit jacket as he ran toward the podium.
The closer one gets to the podium, the more one feels the hellish atmosphere created by the approaching "Eve 1". Only by crouching, bending over, and hunching over can one move forward; otherwise, it's impossible to take a single step. The heatwave is like a raging torrent. Asakura struggles violently on the stage, seemingly on the verge of suffocation. The long socks she wears are on fire, flames licking her thighs and leaping upwards. Her long hair spreads out like a fan, dancing with bluish-white flames. Rimei, using his shirt to protect himself, climbs onto the podium. He opens his shirt and lunges at Asakura, wrapping it around her. Asakura loses her balance and falls to the ground with Rimei. Asakura tumbles on the stage, but Rimei holds her tightly, never letting go.
Flames engulfed Riming's body. He could barely breathe, and his eyes stung terribly. The fire even reached his fingernails. The "Eve 1" plastered on Asakura's body was already dry and emitted a foul stench, but the flames showed no sign of going out.
Just then, someone peeked from behind Larry's back; Shinohara's voice came from somewhere. "Fire extinguisher!"
Although he couldn't see Shinohara, Toshiaki still shouted in Shinohara's direction, "Quick, get the fire extinguisher!"
Flames rushed into Liming's mouth. He swallowed it, burning the mucous membranes of his throat, causing him to choke and feel as if his lungs were rotting. In the distance, the sound of bells rang out, and Liming fainted. At that moment, something heavy fell on him.
Liming didn't know what it was. The substance kept pouring down on Liming and Asakura. Asakura gradually stopped moving. The fire slowly subsided, leaving the floor slippery. Liming felt the heat slowly fading from his body. He groaned. He was soaked through, his shirt clinging tightly to his chest.
Li Ming opened one eye and looked up. Something spread out from a distant point and landed on Li Ming's face.
Li Ming closed his eyes.
It is water.
When Li Ming regained consciousness, he found himself lying on a stretcher.
Li Ming hurriedly got up and looked around: the entire floor of the venue where he was giving a speech had turned into a puddle, wisps of white smoke were still rising from the stage where the speaker was standing, water droplets were dripping from the fire extinguishing device on the ceiling, and a man in white was squatting beside him.
"Asakura!" The first name that flashed through Liming's mind was Asakura, and he blurted it out.
"You're awake."
Shinohara, pale-faced, stared down at Rimei. Rimei grabbed Shinohara by the collar and shouted, "Where's Asakura? What happened to Asakura?"
“She’s there.”
Shinohara turned her head to the side.
A dark object was being carried on a stretcher, surrounded by several emergency medical personnel.
"Asakura!"
Liming crawled toward the stretcher in Asakura. At that moment, someone pressed Liming down firmly from behind. Unable to move, Liming frantically waved his hands in the air.
Half of Asakura's clothes were burned off. His arms and face were swollen, red, and covered in blisters. His long hair was matted and smelled burnt.
Li Ming covered his face with his hands and cried out in despair.
"Don't worry, Asakura is still alive."
Hearing Shinohara's words, Toshiaki breathed a sigh of relief and raised his head.
Asakura groaned and twisted his body.
An emergency physician quickly laid her flat to ensure her airway was clear and pressed an oxygen mask over her mouth and nose to deliver oxygen.
Another emergency doctor was shouting, "Intravenous drip!"
And so, Asakura was carried out on a stretcher.
"It was the monster that started the fire, and the flames didn't directly touch Asakura's body. And luckily, the fire was put out quickly. Asakura's injuries aren't as serious as they looked," Shinohara comforted Toshiaki.