Chapter 315: The Parasitized Kryptonian
Linda's Vulnerability
Amidst the swirling fragments of flesh and blood, one piece, by unfortunate chance, landed directly on Linda's arm.
Like a bean sprout buried in mud or a bamboo shoot after a spring rain, it began to bud and grow rapidly, nourished by the moisture and life force.
In the blink of an eye, the fingernail-sized piece of flesh swelled into a fist-sized purple nodule.
The nodule clung to her skin, frantically consuming her life force.
A profound sense of weakness radiated from within her. The girl felt a fatigue she had never known. Her limbs felt like lead, her Kryptonian strength completely unavailable, and she even began to see hallucinations.
Joshua roared in pain, his frenzy mixed with excitement. He sensed the enormous life energy within Linda, like a cream-filled fruit cake, and couldn't help but rush forward to consume it.
Plunder, devour...
A torrent of life force surged into his body, which rapidly swelled, turning him into a massive, purple mass of flesh.
"Damn it!"
Luke Shaw's face turned pale. He leaped up, merging with the Phantom-1 suit mid-air. Blue flames erupted from his boots, and he shot toward Linda.
"Get out of the way!"
Green flame boiled on his right hand. He delivered a heavy punch to Joshua's abdomen.
Boom!
The green flame turned into a pillar of fire, piercing the mass of flesh and dragging out two clinging soul-phantoms. The phantoms twisted and struggled within the fire.
AHHH!!!
Screams echoed one after the other: one belonging to a human, the other high-pitched and sharp, like the wail of an insect.
The pain of having its soul scorched was so intense that Joshua was forced to release Linda's arm. He spared a look of terror at Luke, then turned and fled into the distance.
Luke had intended to pursue, but seeing the ever-growing purple nodule on Linda's arm, he stopped. He reached out with his hand, wrapped in green flame, and forcibly tore the nodule off.
The nodule writhed in his hand like a living thing, even liquefying in an attempt to seep into the cracks of the armor.
"What in the hell is this thing?"
Luke was both shocked and enraged. He quickly shed the wrist armor and flew toward the villa, carrying Linda.
The Kryptonian Cure
He took the elevator down to the basement and placed the girl, whose hair was starting to turn gray, onto a medical bed.
"AVA! Prepare Sample Three!"
"Understood, Master."
AVA, as the robotic butler, went to the lab bench and retrieved a vial of purple solvent from the freezer. This sample was extracted from the meteorite fragment that contained the parasite. It could prevent the parasite from dividing and greatly retard its life activity.
At that moment, Linda also awoke. She pressed her hand to her head, her face etched with pain.
"I feel so awful. What happened to me?"
"Don't move!"
Luke pried her mouth open and poured the Sample Three solution down her throat.
"What did you give me? It's so bitter!"
"Shut up if you don't want to die."
Luke glared at her, then turned on the diagnostic scanner to fully examine her body. A Kryptonian's body is different from a human's; their massive energy grants their cells incredible resistance, making them virtually immune to all viruses, microorganisms, and bacteria. Even an alien parasite would have difficulty taking root inside her.
But difficult did not mean impossible.
The diagnostic results quickly appeared. In addition to her arm, six other spots on her body had been infiltrated. Some epidermal cells had even been assimilated and entered the fission stage.
Luke handed the diagnostic image to Linda and said gravely,
"Your body is too resilient. Conventional surgery won't work. You have to rely on yourself. Use your heat vision to destroy all six of these mutated cells."
Linda struggled to sit up. When she saw her shriveled, wrinkled arm, she froze.
"My hand... how? Why did it turn out like this?"
"This can't be!"
The girl panicked, reaching for her face. Luke stopped her just before her fingers touched her cheek.
"It's okay. It will recover."
Linda looked at him.
"Am I very ugly right now?"
Luke shrugged. "It's not as bad as you might think. You can picture what you'll look like in four... thirty years."
"Thirty years!"
Linda muttered, instinctively reaching for her face again. Luke stopped her once more.
"Trust me, you'll be fine. Your priority right now is destroying the mutated cells inside you. Otherwise, they could take root and turn you into a monster like Joshua."
That single sentence jolted Linda into action. She quickly ripped open her clothes and, following the images, used her heat vision to burn out all six areas of mutant cells invaded by the alien bug.
Luke called the kitchen staff, ordering twenty servings of food.
The headland villa was equipped not only with the latest smart technology but also with a highly professional management team, including chefs, valets, therapists, housekeepers, laborers, gardeners, and more. Luke paid them over three hundred thousand dollars in wages every month.
Soon, a table piled high with delicious food was delivered to the basement.
Linda, her stomach rumbling with hunger, rushed over and devoured the food. As she replenished her energy, her body began to return to normal. The wrinkles vanished from her face, her skin regained its former smoothness and rosy complexion, and her hair turned back to golden-yellow.
"Kryptonians are monsters!" Luke thought to himself.
If a regular person suffered that, their life would be over; recovery would be impossible. But they were different. As long as they had sunlight and food, they could retrieve lost life force.
Linda single-handedly finished all the food—enough to satisfy twenty grown men. After she was full, she rushed to the mirror. Seeing her youthful, vibrant face reflected back, she sighed in relief.
"Thank goodness. I'm finally back to normal."
"That disgusting creep!"
The girl gritted her teeth, punching the wall.
Bang!
The wall was completely pierced.
Luke looked exasperated. "Until we find a way to deal with him, you'd better control your temper and avoid meeting him again. You won't be this lucky next time."
"I can beat him."
Linda turned back, stating fiercely, "He is absolutely no match for me. His strength and speed are inferior. If it weren't for that disgusting ability..."
"You said it yourself: 'If it weren't for.' The problem is, he does have it." Luke's expression became extremely grim. "Ms. Danvers, how many times did I warn you before the fight? No physical contact! No close combat! Wear him down from a distance! And what did you do?"
Luke walked up to her, staring down at her.
"When are you going to get rid of that arrogant, reckless attitude? That was a battle, not child's play! What if something had actually happened to you? What would I have done?"
The girl merely huffed and turned her head, her face radiating defiance.
Luke shook his head helplessly. Eighteen years old and still so rebellious.
...
A Quiet Town
Fifty miles south of Metropolis lies the prosperous fishing town of Glen Carr.
The town was founded eighty years ago. Due to its proximity to Metropolis and its deep-water port, the local fishing industry boomed, making it a well-known place of wealth.
Every year during the Christmas holiday, the town's fishermen gather for a drinking competition. Rum is essential for men who spend their lives at sea, and the competition gradually became a local tradition.
This year was no exception. Hundreds of fishermen gathered in the town's largest bar, many shirtless, cheering loudly for the man frantically chugging drinks on the stage.
The night deepened, and it was nearly 9:30 PM. Gordo, the champion of the drinking contest, stumbled home, clutching his trophy.
His house was a detached two-story building in the northern part of town.
As he reached his front door, Gordo expertly whistled. The expected barking of his dog didn't come. Instead, a faint smell of blood hung in the air.
The surroundings were silent, chillingly so.
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