Parasite (7): Let me explain

Tan Xiao had noticed that Wen Yi had been acting strangely lately. It wasn’t that the once warm and affectionate person had turned cold—Wen Yi still clung to him and enjoyed deep conversations. But at work, Wen Yi seemed to have lost his drive and ambition. 

Their recent conversations had revolved around KK Smart Company, a company Wen Yi had taken over. The plan had been in place long before Wen Yi came in: achieve success in this emerging field and use it as a stepping stone to enter the headquarters directly. While Wen Yi could have been parachuted into the headquarters without any achievements, having accomplishments would make the transition smoother. Besides, Wen Yi was young and preferred a more stable approach.

However, the day after the two of them moved, Wen Yi’s bold and sweeping reforms at KK Smart Company came to an abrupt halt. He delegated most of the workload back to his original subordinates. The time saved wasn’t wasted, though. Wen Yi poured his energy into transforming their small living space into a steel fortress, comparable to a bank vault.

The top floor where they lived had once been serviced by a team of staff: a housekeeper, personal assistants, maids, and chefs. Tan Xiao and Wen Yi had occupied just one suite, maintaining their privacy while enjoying excellent service. But now, Wen Yi had reassigned these workers and revoked their external permissions. Some vacant rooms were repurposed to store the large quantities of supplies Wen Yi had purchased.

“Military compressed biscuits, nutrient rice that can be rehydrated with cold water, energy bars that can be stored for a long time…” Wen Yi seemed to have transformed into an apocalypse enthusiast, stockpiling various long-lasting supplies.

Tan Xiao looked at the neatly arranged supplies filling the entire room and asked with concern, “Did you hear any special news? Is some disaster going to happen?”

When a storm approached, people like Wen Yi, who were powerful and influential, often received advance warnings. His abnormal actions, which he didn’t bother to hide, made Tan Xiao nervous. He glanced at the supplies; if not wasted, they could sustain them for decades.

Tan Xiao wasn’t unfamiliar with apocalyptic scenarios. He had read novels and watched movies about zombies and natural disasters. Stockpiling supplies was a common theme in such stories.

Wen Yi shook his head. “No.”

If it were a natural disaster or an apocalypse, it would be easier to handle. The CS Group was powerful, and even under the harshest conditions, he wouldn’t let Tan Xiao live in misery. But the impending disaster was different. It was caused by Wen Yi’s own kind—beings like him, yet not entirely the same.

Wen Yi had always hidden his non-human identity, fearing that Tan Xiao would be frightened and distance himself if he found out. He didn’t want to see that happen. He didn’t have the power to save the world, but he could protect Tan Xiao.

Wen Yi made an excuse: “I just read a post-apocalyptic novel and had a nightmare where the world was very dangerous. So, I made some preparations. These things don’t cost much. They’re much cheaper than buying a car, a house, or a plane.”

Indeed, Wen Yi was wealthy. Buying these supplies was a small expense compared to luxury items. Even in jest, it was known that some people, called doomsday preppers, built fortresses, dug basements, and stockpiled supplies. Since it was Wen Yi’s hobby, Tan Xiao didn’t interfere much.

“What about the company?” Tan Xiao asked.

Wen Yi replied, “I’ve been feeling a bit unwell lately, so I’ll put it off for now. Director Xiong and his team did quite well before.”

Tan Xiao ruffled Wen Yi’s hair, concern etched on his face. “Where do you feel unwell? I’ll take a day off and accompany you to the hospital for a check-up.”

Wen Yi shook his head. “There’s nothing physically wrong. It’s just that my mental state isn’t very good, probably because I’ve been having nightmares all night.”

He nestled in Tan Xiao’s arms, using the remote control to select a documentary about nature. The narrator described a parasite: “Baby, what do you think of this organism called dodder?”

In the footage, the dodder vine wrapped around a towering tree, strangling the once-lush plant. Tan Xiao didn’t understand Wen Yi’s intent but thought carefully before responding. “Cuscuta is like a parasite to a big tree. A person shouldn’t depend on others; they should be independent and self-reliant, not parasitic. Otherwise, it will kill the seemingly strong host. Although it looks weak and beautiful, it’s actually a terrifying plant killer.”

Tan Xiao smiled. “Baby, don’t worry. Is this why you’re having nightmares? I won’t be a parasite on you. If it doesn’t work out, I can always move out.”

He never thought of living off others.

Wen Yi’s eyes welled up with tears. “I didn’t mean it that way. If you move out, I’ll be having nightmares all night long! I just wanted to say, actually, there might be good parasites too.”

He wanted to ask more, but Tan Xiao’s lighthearted attitude made it clear that his lover could never like something like dodder. Tan Xiao said, “What you call symbiosis is different from this. Parasites are never good. Parasitism is essentially a form of robbery.”

Wen Yi didn’t dare to ask further. That’s why he couldn’t tell Tan Xiao about his identity.

Wen Yi didn’t know the specific name of his race; he only knew that some called them “Yan,” the Yan of annihilation. They were pure elemental beings, existing in the universe as immortal and indestructible entities. When they lacked energy, they would condense into a single mass and enter a state of slumber. But if awakened by an intelligent being, they would scatter and seek out the highest energy cluster, consuming it bit by bit.

The method of reproduction for the Yan was parasitic. By extracting enough energy from an intelligent life form, they could become stronger. After the host died, they would search for the next one. Although the Yan were elemental creatures, their intelligence depended on the form they inhabited. If a Yan parasitized a sheep, it would act like a sheep until the host’s energy was drained. If it attached itself to a pet cat, it would mimic the cat until the energy was consumed, then seek a more powerful host.

In this world, humans dominated everything. In the early stages, the Yan would parasitize humans, quietly lurking within their bodies, reading their memories, mimicking their lives, and learning to take control. The Yan could sense each other, help each other, and, after gaining sufficient energy, create new Yan. This number would grow exponentially: one became two, two became four, and so on. As they grew stronger, the rate at which they devoured their prey would increase hundreds or even thousands of times.

The parasitic expansion was Yan’s instinct. They didn’t contemplate whether overexploitation would lead to destruction; they were parasites born for destruction. In their immortal lives, the meaning of the Yan was to destroy everything. They were the scavengers of the universe, an insatiable glutton that never knew when to stop.

However, during the cleansing process, the Yan would possess terrifying intelligence. They would instinctively know how to expand their tribe quickly. If the ruler of City A was a Yan, the city would fall rapidly, perhaps in less than a month. Life forms parasitized by the Yan would be consumed quickly, depending on the energy they possessed. Whether animals or humans, their minds would be controlled by the Yan. The moment they were parasitized, the host was no longer a person but an incubator for the Yan.

This terrifying expansion would stop only after devouring all available energy. The Yan would then unite, shrink, and float in the universe, landing on the next planet with life, waiting to be awakened once more.

This was the terrifying nature of Wen Yi’s kind. Under the oppression of the Yan, humans had no chance of survival. Humanity had awakened the sleeping demon, thinking it was a fossil, but it was a being in a dormant state.

When Wen Yi realized this, his job and the group no longer mattered. He only wanted to keep Tan Xiao safe in this parasitic crisis. As the situation developed, the Yan’s expansion would be unstoppable, even by Wen Yi. If Wen Yi didn’t consume powerful intelligent beings, he wouldn’t be able to control the Yan. Powerful Yan could drive away weaker ones and prioritize high-quality prey.

Wen Yi wasn’t a pure-blooded Yan, nor was he entirely human. He was an outsider to both groups. The weak him instinctively feared the powerful Yan; he was terrified that he wouldn’t be able to protect Tan Xiao in the upcoming wave of parasitism. Power and wealth were useless at that time; human weapons couldn’t kill the Yan, only the host. Attacks, wars, and humanity’s self-destruction would only accelerate the demise of the group.

Wen Yi looked at his lover with deep concern, repeatedly hesitating to speak.

“Wen Yi, do you really have nothing to say to me? Don’t worry, my lips are sealed.” Tan Xiao thought he was a decent listener.

Since the parasite couldn’t be resisted, why bring it up now and add to Tan Xiao’s troubles? Wen Yi nestled into Tan Xiao’s arms, shaking his head slightly. “Really, it’s nothing.”

In the memories Wen Yi had received, the Yan had no weaknesses. The only way to make them fall into a deep sleep was to deprive them of the energy they absorbed. But what could Wen Yi do? When he saw the news, he already knew that someone had been parasitized. In the early stages, the life forms infected by the Yan showed no abnormalities; they couldn’t be detected by any existing machines. Their ability to escape was top-notch.

Wen Yi was the heir of the CS Group, but he couldn’t just capture and lock up all the suspected individuals. If he did, he would instantly become a perverted murderer in the eyes of society. Moreover, Wen Yi knew that closing off the city was useless; at most, it would only delay the invasion.

At first, Wen Yi had used the dark web to send relevant information to the government through a top hacker. Being parasitized by a Yan had signs: a person’s personality would change drastically, they would become gluttonous, their appetite would increase significantly, yet they wouldn’t gain weight. But the government thought it was a prank. Although they had surveillance equipment, it was impossible to monitor which people in the vast city suddenly had a huge increase in their food intake.

The increase wasn’t obvious at first; it might just be going from eating three meals a day to five or six. Later, the eating would increase significantly. Moreover, when parasitized, the host would subconsciously find suitable reasons to cover up its existence. For example, if they experienced a breakup, they might channel their sorrow into eating, or if they increased their exercise, they might eat more without gaining weight.

Even if there were scientists, what could they research? Humanity’s current strength couldn’t counteract the parasitic Yan; it was just a matter of time. It was better to lie flat. If such things were to be spread, it would only cause social unrest.

The government treated the information sent by Wen Yi as a joke, but Wen Yi remained calm. He never expected anything from these so-called politicians. Humans with strong enough willpower could initially resist the relatively weak invasion of the Yan. They might be able to suppress the Yan’s parasitism, but as time passed, the damned would still die.

Wen Yi thought, the weak and timid him could do nothing. He could only take care of himself. After all, he was the same kind as the Yan, and the same kind couldn’t parasitize each other. No, looking at Tan Xiao’s peacefully sleeping face, Wen Yi perked up again. He still had to take good care of Tan Xiao.

The renovations around the house, the stockpiling of food, and the firing of assistants were all efforts made by Wen Yi to protect Tan Xiao. If Tan Xiao wanted to avoid being parasitized, he should stay away from intelligent life forms from the beginning.

Wen Yi thought, no matter how well the rooftop house was built, it was useless. As long as Tan Xiao was among the crowd, there was a possibility of being targeted by the Yan. His lover was simply too delicious, a truly exquisite treat. Wen Yi had no doubt about Tan Xiao’s inherent allure to others of his kind.

Perhaps he should have Tan Xiao resign, and then they could leave civilization together, living on a deserted island or deep in the mountains. Wen Yi started searching for related videos and shared them with Tan Xiao to watch together.

He tentatively said, “Didn’t you say before that work was very tough? How about we stay in a place like this? There’s only the two of us on the island, no one else.”

Tan Xiao ruffled Wen Yi’s hair, thinking that the young master was being fanciful. “There’s nothing on the island, just some nice scenery. If something happens, like getting bitten by bugs, ants, or snakes, or being attacked by wild animals, we wouldn’t even be able to find a doctor.”

In this era, there were indeed some people who tried to distance themselves from the city and live in solitude. They lived in caves they had dug themselves, leading a life akin to that of primitive wild men. As someone who grew up in a modern city, Tan Xiao couldn’t even imagine going through those hard days without internet, WiFi, toilets, refrigerators, or gas. He also didn’t think that Wen Yi, this pampered young master, could endure such hardships.

People shouldn’t, and don’t need to, make things harder for themselves.

Plan A failed, but Wen Yi still had Plan B, Plan C… Anyway, the situation hadn’t gotten that bad yet. At least in this office building, Wen Yi hadn’t sensed the presence of any parasitic kindred. For now, they were safe.

After that somewhat strange conversation, Tan Xiao noticed that Wen Yi’s work hours were starting to slip. Although the other person commuted to and from work with him, Wen Yi was always absent from his post, and the frequency of his messages had decreased compared to before, as if he had suddenly become cold.

But when the two of them were in bed, they still got along just as well as before. If Tan Xiao asked Wen Yi, the other party would just stammer and brush it off.

This situation had already affected Tan Xiao’s work state, and he decided he must find out the reason for Wen Yi’s odd behavior. Because this situation was just too much like Wen Yi having someone outside. Could the other person be a time management master, dating several people at the same time?

Wen Yi would be willing to show him his phone directly, completely open and unconcerned about privacy. But someone like Wen Yi, coming from a wealthy family, could afford not just two phones, but 200 phones. Tan Xiao’s heart sank; he always felt that his feelings had quietly encountered some kind of crisis.

This time, after Wen Yi left his workstation, Tan Xiao also took a leave. But while going downstairs, he was suddenly stopped by a boy wearing a checkered shirt. The badge hanging on the other person’s chest was from the CS Group’s subsidiary, Happy Cat Entertainment, so he seemed to be a small streamer.

Wang Mingming mustered up the courage and finally managed to stop Tan Xiao. “Tan Xiao, could you spare me 10 minutes? I would like to talk to you!”

Tan Xiao’s heart skipped a beat: Could this be Wen Yi’s affair partner? However, after carefully observing the other person’s face and demeanor, he felt that it shouldn’t be the case. This guy was chubby and a bit greasy, and he couldn’t compare to Tan Xiao in terms of looks or figure.

Wen Yi’s taste wasn’t that bad, but what if he was really hungry? When a man cheats, it doesn’t matter whether his partner is good-looking or not. Tan Xiao believed in Wen Yi, but these past few days, the other party had been hiding things, and his attitude had been really strange.

Tan Xiao had a cold expression on his face. “What do you want to say to me?”

Wang Mingming looked around and said, “The things I want to discuss with you aren’t suitable here. Can we find a more private place?”

Tan Xiao nodded. He was curious about what this chubby boy wanted to say to him—was he here to provoke him or to pass on information? The two of them found a relatively private café and booked a private room. Wang Mingming started chattering away, first expressing his gratitude, then listing his skills, and finally, jokingly asking if he could be taken on as a subordinate.

He showed such sincerity just to ask for a friendly chat. Wang Mingming also said, “Tan Xiao, Wen Yi, you guys are players too, right? Are you a couple in real life? That’s really impressive!”

Wang Mingming had experienced the plague infection instance, so he naturally knew Wen Yi. In this instance, Wen Yi had become the heir of the CS Group, so he assumed that the other party was also a player.

Tan Xiao listened in a daze and instinctively chose to brush it off. He successfully added Wang Mingming as a friend, of course not in the game. “I’ll let you know if there’s any news.”

Tan Xiao felt that he needed some time to digest what Wang Mingming had said: player? big boss? parasite mission? Was this how Wen Yi was hiding his secrets? Because he was preoccupied, he slept very lightly that night, and then he noticed that in the middle of the night, Wen Yi secretly got out of bed and took the elevator downstairs.

Tan Xiao got up after the other person left and quietly followed them. He looked at the floor where the elevator stopped, and to avoid alarming Wen Yi, he went straight down the stairs. Then he realized that Wen Yi must have gone to the cold storage where the frozen goods were previously stored.

Tan Xiao heard some noise coming from the cold storage and even smelled the stench of fresh blood. The young man was tense all over, gripping the self-defense stun baton he had brought with him. Tan Xiao took a deep breath, mentally prepared himself, and suddenly pulled open the cold storage door. He directly shone a powerful flashlight inside and then discovered Wen Yi, who was eating voraciously.

The other party was eating frozen chicken, duck, beef, lamb, and fish meat after slaughter, not chewing but swallowing it raw. After all, to become stronger, one must eat more live creatures. However, the commotion caused by eating live animals was too great. Freshly slaughtered and immediately frozen, the energy might be slightly lower, but not by much. Wen Yi planned to win by quantity.

This kind of eating method definitely couldn’t be shown in front of his boyfriend, so he could only sneak down at night to have extra meals, working hard to get stronger through eating.

“Click.”

The powerful flashlight in Tan Xiao’s hand rolled onto the ground, illuminating Wen Yi’s pale face. The half-eaten frozen meat in his hand fell directly to the ground, rolling a few times in the cold storage. “Tan Xiao, let me explain!”