Xenoparasitism - Chapter 5

He had initially assumed she was another Imposter-type monster, but instead, she was a beautiful woman. Dressed in a light-colored business suit, her long legs, encased in black stockings, possessed a captivating elegance. Apart from her slightly disheveled hair, the woman’s features and figure were flawless.

In the past, Wei Chen might have been mesmerized. But after the overwhelming events of the past two days, he remained cautious even when a stunning woman suddenly appeared in the middle of the night. As she moved toward the car, he pulled out the cleaver he’d taken from the supermarket and tapped the car door with the back of the blade. “Stay right there,” he ordered. “Tuck your hair back so I can see your eyes clearly.”

The woman frowned but complied, saying, “I’m quite fond of my eyes myself, but why do you need to see them so badly?”

Under the streetlight, her eyes appeared normal—no vanishing pupils or blood-red sclera like the Imposters. Wei Chen relaxed slightly. “I need to make sure you’re not one of those monsters.”

“And have you finished checking?”

“Okay,” Wei Chen said, then exclaimed, “Wait, are you Ma Xiaolu? The famous TV host?”

The woman brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear and flashed a professional smile. “If there’s only one Ma Xiaolu in Chunshui City, then yes, that’s me.”

Ma Xiaolu, the renowned anchorwoman for Chunshui City Television, was celebrated for her striking beauty, flawless figure, and witty hosting style. Wei Chen naturally recognized her instantly. Ma Xiaolu nodded. “You’re heading to Xingli Reservoir, right? Could you give us a ride?”

“Us?”

“Yes, my assistant and I.” Ma Xiaolu called out, “Xiao Guan, come over here!”

A young man in his early twenties jogged over, saying, “Sister Xiaolu, it’s no use. All the cars are… Oh, who’s this?”

Ma Xiaolu gave Wei Chen an apologetic smile. “Please excuse my clumsy assistant. I sent him to find a working car, but he’s been searching for ages without any luck.”

Wei Chen opened the car door. “Hop in. It’s on my way anyway.”

The two got into the car, and Wei Chen started the engine, driving onto the elevated highway. Inside, Wei Chen said, “Sister Xiaolu, I love watching your shows! Especially It Was You All Along, the one you host. I never miss an episode! Oh, could I get your autograph later? And do you know what’s causing all this chaos? Oh, and…”

“Shut up!” Ma Xiaolu suddenly shouted. “Just focus on driving! What if we crash?”

The male assistant in the back seat cleared his throat awkwardly.

Realizing her tone had been too harsh, Ma Xiaolu offered an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, I lost my temper. We were recording at the studio today when suddenly all my former colleagues turned into terrifying monsters. Xiao Guan and I barely escaped. We heard on the radio that everyone was heading to Xingli Reservoir, so we drove here, but our car broke down under the bridge. We’ve been searching for ages for a working car, but they’re either missing keys or wrecked. All this fear has made it hard to control my emotions.”

“No worries, no worries. I was just being a bit of a pest, haha,” Wei Chen said, forcing a laugh. He glanced at the famous news anchor, who was giving him a submissive, deferential look. Even if he wanted to be angry, he couldn’t bring himself to be.

If things keep going like this, it’ll probably develop into that kind of plot where I become friends with a celebrity beauty, and then she gradually falls for me, right? She seems a few years older than me, but that doesn’t matter. I wouldn’t mind at all. Wei Chen was so engrossed in his thoughts that he unconsciously smiled.

The car drove past the elevated highway and was about to take the exit toward Xinjiang Public Road when several figures suddenly appeared in the headlights. At the exit of the elevated highway, seven or eight men and women stood on the bridge. As the headlights illuminated them, they turned to look. Under the glare, their eyes glowed with a sinister crimson light.

Wei Chen’s heart tightened. They were all Imposters.

“What’s going on? Are they people heading to the reservoir?” Ma Xiaolu reached for the car door.

Wei Chen immediately grabbed her hand and shouted, “Don’t open the door! They’re monsters!”

As if to confirm Wei Chen’s judgment, parts of the figures’ bodies suddenly began to mutate, and they charged toward the car.

What do I do? What do I do?

Before Wei Chen could decide, Ma Xiaolu shrieked, “What are you waiting for? Ram them! Kill them!”

She lunged for the steering wheel.

“I know! Don’t grab it!” Wei Chen yelled. “Everyone, buckle up!” He slammed his foot on the accelerator, and the car surged forward, instantly colliding with the two Imposters leading the charge. The impact sent them flying onto the roof before they tumbled off, leaving only a smear of blood on the windshield. Wei Chen quickly activated the wipers to clear the gore and maintain visibility.

The remaining Imposters scattered, except for one man who remained standing directly in their path. He crouched slightly, clasped his hands together, and suddenly extended armored plates from his palms and wrists, forming a shield-like barrier. Wei Chen felt a surge of dread; he’d never encountered this type of Imposter before. But at the car’s current speed, swerving would only worsen the situation. Gritting his teeth, he floored the accelerator. The Wrangler roared forward, colliding with the man in a violent crash. After a jarring impact, Wei Chen saw the world flip upside down. First, he glimpsed the man’s sneering face through the windshield, then the ground, followed by a dizzying series of rotations.

When the car struck the man, his feet sank almost completely into the ground, while the vehicle bounced upward, flipped over his head, spun in a full circle, and crashed heavily back to earth. It skidded diagonally until it slammed into the concrete bridge railing and finally came to a stop.

The airbags had deployed. After a few seconds, Wei Chen regained consciousness. He cradled his head, shook it groggily, and glanced in the rearview mirror. The monsters were closing in. He shouted urgently, “We have to go! They’re coming!”

He pushed open the car door, but the front of the vehicle had crumpled from the repeated impacts, trapping his foot beneath the steering wheel. On the other side, Ma Xiaolu and her male assistant had already opened their doors. As Ma Xiaolu prepared to exit, Wei Chen grabbed her hand. “Help me, Sister Xiaolu! My foot’s stuck!”

Ma Xiaolu twisted around, her face contorted, all traces of her earlier gentleness gone. She shrieked, “Let go! What makes you think we’re close? Your foot being stuck is your problem! Good riddance! Stay here and wait for them to eat you!”

With that, she bit down hard on Wei Chen’s hand, forcing him to release her. Ma Xiaolu seized the opportunity to slip out of the driver’s seat, and with the male assistant’s support, she abandoned Wei Chen and fled. Wei Chen stared in disbelief at the couple through the windshield, their only concern being their own escape. He couldn’t believe he had offered them a ride out of kindness, only for them to disregard his life in this moment of crisis.

“Why?” Wei Chen shouted. “Why are you doing this? Don’t leave me! Don’t leave me behind!”

Suddenly, a dark figure dropped in front of the car—a man covered in long spikes from head to shoulder and down both arms, resembling a human-sized hedgehog. Then came a second monster, a third… They blocked Ma Xiaolu and her assistant from view, extinguishing Wei Chen’s last hope.

All that remained for him was a crushing, suffocating despair.