Chapter 108

108 3.03.13 – Parasite – Downfall of Humanity

Bing Shi, with luggage in her hand, walked outside the airport. The spring breeze welcomed her with its sweetness. Standing near the road, she waited for the taxi to arrive.

Inside the taxi, they slowly drove to her new apartment. Though she never visited this city, it was oddly familiar, as it was the place where it all began. The sunlight gleamed against the office windows, while large signs on buses and tall buildings advertised different businesses and products. One of which was a highly nutritional, none thirst provoking emergency food ration. After the advertisements, it sold out on its first day. Thanks to its low cost of about two dollars a day, each average family owned at least a box of those rations.

Halting before the stoplights at the multi-lane traffic, Bing Shi glanced at the sidewalks packed with pedestrians. People were preparing for the apocalypse unconsciously. Though they weren’t stocking up on food and water, they were forced to think about it, they were making plans in their heads. With some made up thief articles, many were protecting their households by installing metal bars on their windows and doors.

Arriving at a simple six-story apartment complex, Bing Shi paid the taxi driver and stepped out of the car. Taking out keys from her rucksack, she was about to open the main door, but someone opened it from the inside.

Glancing up, she thanked a man in a hoodie with a polite smile, “Thank you.” On a closer look, she noticed the scarred jaw. In panic, her eyes roamed all over the place except his face, her stomach scrunched in discomfort.

‘What is the unruly man doing here?’

[“Kuro, what is Ren Han’s address?”]

Kuro, who was protecting Fu Lian, went through Ren Han’s data.

[He wrote down his parent’s house address, and it’s corresponding with the database.]

.....

Ren Han looked down at the surprised girl, who was forcing a smile, her nervousness radiated through her skin. People who saw his face would avoid his gaze at most. Taking a step back, he made a path for the girl to pass.

Bing Shi excused herself and moved straight to the elevator.

Changing his mind, Ren Han went back to his apartment, which was on the ground floor. Inside the bedroom, he parted his curtains to see the girl outside, running toward a taxi. Did she leave because of him? Did she know him? The previous Ren Han didn’t remember her. Calling the landlord, he found out her name. The next step was easy.

LuLu Tan, a shut-in streamer, who went on a hiatus ten months ago. The first thing which came to his mind was, ‘Bing Shi...’

His colleagues told him he was the second person who she responded to. Connecting everything together, it had to be her. Did he just find out the identity of the most wanted person on the planet?

The next morning he sent her a message with a wide smile.

Ren Han: LuLu Tan.

Inside a tea house, Bing Shi was looking for a new place to stay. There’s no way she was living near a man who could make her flinch in discomfort. When she saw the message, her eyeballs almost fell out from her eye sockets.

[“Ren Han knows my identity! How? We just met!”]

[Host, maybe you overreacted. And he took notice of it?]

[“Wouldn’t a normal person assume that I’m socially awkward? Is he LuLu Tan’s fan? But I changed my make up and hairstyle. Did he found my information through the landlord? With his connections, he could dig even deeper...”]

‘Why did I try to find Xuan Mu?’

‘Now, my life is in danger...’

Bing Shi: What are you going to do with that knowledge? If I wasn’t LuLu Tan, an innocent person could’ve died.

Ren Han blinked at the message, he thought she’d try to threaten him with her power. She could send someone to kill him... effortlessly.

Ren Han: Who are you? A fucking holy mother?

Bing Shi: Your curses are hurting my stomach. Holy? Yes. Mother? No. I hate kids. Now, it’s my turn...Who are you? More like, how old are you?

‘As a SWAT officer, his behavior is too unprofessional. He behaves like an uncultured kid, with no EQ what so ever.’

‘But the way he ate the lemons, and his rebellious attitude towards adults reminded me of my young Xuan Mu... except...’

‘I never heard Xuan Mu saying an f-word..’

Ren Han: Ziek Leoners. 16 years old. I suppose we are similar.

Then, he sent her information he gathered about the previous LuLu Tan, video records from cameras, satellites, microphones, her credit card information, even nudes from her phone...

Ren Han: There is no way you are LuLu Tan. After the hiatus, I found nothing about her.

Bing Shi took a deep breath as she reread the message.

‘He is underage...?!’

Bing Shi: Do you have a system?

Ren Han: What system?

‘Don’t tell me... he did it alone?’

‘Why does he have to be a genius too?’

Bing Shi: We are not similar. To gain power over the network, I signed a contract with a devil. It’s a secret, don’t tell anyone. How did you appear here? Are you from this world?

Ren Han: No. I appeared here after wanting to blow up a school. And you?

That’s what he made those in his previous life to believe when he stole Grace’s phone. He was under their constant watch, where’d he get access to such weapons? There’s a limit to his hacking skills.

Bing Shi: That’s hilarious. Isn’t it a dream come true for all the students? (`?′) When I was little, I dreamed about it every day. Me? I wanted to meet my missing boyfriend so much that I forgot to eat. Now, as a wandering ghost, I travel around the universe in the hope of finding him.

Ziek grinned.

Ren Han: I could notice that. How old are you?

Bing Shi: I don’t want to reveal it.??You are going to laugh at me.

Ren Han: Are you older than me? By a hundred? Or a thousand?

Bing Shi: By a lot! I’m 26. I feel like a granny compared to you. ??

‘Or 28? No! I’m forever 26.’

Ren Han: Grandma Bing Shi. It suits you.

Bing Shi was about to retort but stopped abruptly.

‘~ Stupid, don’t lower your guard because he is a kid.’

‘Yeah, I almost fell for the same trap again.’

Bing Shi thought about her first meeting in the game, where she treated Xuan Mu like a kid, forgetting that kids could fall in love too.

‘Because I miss Xuan Mu too much, I’m being delusional. He is not Xuan Mu.’

Bing Shi stood up from her chair. After paying the bill, she walked out of the tea house towards the parking lot, where her new truck was parked, with her bike fastened to the back.

Making herself comfortable at the front seat, she drove outside of the city to burry a few black bags. Back in the car, she took out a tablet from the rucksack, opening the map, there were a few red crosses. Marking a new one, she switched the tablet off.

She repeated the action for the whole day, not until she reached the next city. Feeling all dirty and sweaty, she reserved a room in a hotel. After a hot shower, dead tired, she dropped on the bed and fell asleep right away.

Waking up, for six days straight, she did the same action as the day before...alone, as Kuro had to protect Fu Lian.

Ren Han: Grandma Bing Shi, are you angry at me?

Yi Zen: Don’t you need money? I have a job for you.

‘What a great way to destroy my beautiful dream.’

Bing Shi switched off her phone and continued to live in her dreamland.