After Being Parasiticized By A Monster - Chapter 46
Chapter 46: “Let Me Try It Myself.”
The Shower Ritual
Cheng Ming returned to her apartment and walked into the bathroom.
Passing the mirror, she paused, leaned forward, and placed a light kiss on the glass. Her breath left a steamed lip-print. Her heart instantly doubled its pace. Before Little Ming could react, she quickly stepped into the shower, acting as if nothing happened.
It was a ritual. A way to follow through on her promise. Since she was dealing with a monster lacking human morals, she had to lead by example.
She had called the parasite terrifying, but she was nonetheless fascinated by it. She feared its existence yet desperately needed its company.
The silence lasted until the warm water sprayed down. Three minutes after her tantalizing gesture, Little Ming finally realized what was happening, popping up in her mind like a bubble.
“Does ‘accept’ mean… you accept that we are partners?”
“Mhm.”
As she lifted her hand to push her hair back, the fungal threads, soaked by the steam, coiled around her fingers—a wet, sticky sensation. More “hair” dangled around her waist. Sensing her arousal, the threads surged like fast-growing grass.
The segments brushing her skin caused an unfamiliar, tingling itch. She glanced down and saw the unmistakable, cool, slick texture of fish scales.
She shivered, instinctively wanting to condemn it, “How could you…”
Little Ming quickly responded, “You said you accepted me.”
“I—”
Despite her intention, she felt unprepared. She bit her lip and plunged forward, “Wait… let me try it myself.”
The steam blurred the light. “Mgh… alright. Cheng Ming,” it called her name. The sound of her own name, spoken in her own voice, was unsettling—a strange, heart-shaking tremor.
She was highly embarrassed but determined. She braced one hand against the wall, arching her back, burying her head against her forearm, and closed her eyes.
“Mmm…” She breathed raggedly, trying to acclimate to its intensifying presence.
Her body was blazing hot. She finally realized the problem. In a breathless, embarrassed gasp, she requested, “You, put the scales away…”
“I can’t control them,” Little Ming replied, its voice thick and strained from prolonged suppression. “Should I take over?”
“No—” She refused to lose autonomy. After a pause, she compromised, “Leave me one hand.”
The water trickled. She was holding a fixed stainless steel grab bar. The dark hyphae immediately wrapped around the bar and bound her right hand.
“Little Ming!” She was tricked.
Before she could finish the word, the hyphae, having found their opening, darted into her open mouth, coiling around her tongue. The cold, wet slickness shattered any words she had left.
…
It was a brutal exchange. The illusion of freedom followed by swift capture only fueled her instinctive resistance. The bath felt less like a romantic encounter and more like a brawl; she even bruised her elbow.
She regretted not choosing the bed.
After drying off, she was exhausted and collapsed into the duvet. Little Ming gently rubbed the bruise on her elbow, reflecting: “Next time, I’ll tie you up tighter so you can’t break free…”
Cheng Ming closed her eyes. “Please stop thinking.”
Though she had been too anxious to sleep over the past few nights, the final acceptance of the genetic truth finally relaxed her.
Little Ming, however, was still highly energetic. Ten minutes after the lights were out, it whispered, “Cheng Ming, Cheng Ming, can we install a mirror inside?” It was a shame to taste her pleasure but not see her beauty.
“…Okay,” Cheng Ming mumbled groggily. Her nervous system was too exhausted to process the decision clearly.
The hyphae happily snuck out from under the covers, grabbed her phone, navigated the Defense Center’s apartment service platform, selected the mirror, and placed the order—all without her noticing a chunk of her bank account vanish.
Into the P4 Labyrinth
The next morning, Cheng Ming knocked on Jiang Dexin’s door at 10:00 AM.
Jiang Dexin handed her a USB drive. “**You’ll be assisting me this afternoon for an experiment. Get ready; we’re going into the P4 Lab.”
“Understood. What preparation is needed?”
“Mental preparation,” Jiang Dexin joked.
She had to memorize the key points in the drive. The Level 4 Biosafety Laboratory (P4) was the world’s most dangerous facility, where highly virulent, often untreatable microorganisms were studied—nicknamed the Devil’s Lab.
At 2:00 PM, Cheng Ming and Jiang Dexin entered the P4 Experimental Area on the 211th floor.
The P4 protective suit was incredibly heavy—waterproof, dustproof, and corrosion-resistant—maintaining positive pressure with its own air supply. Every procedure, from layering gloves to decontamination showers, was meticulous.
Cheng Ming, only relaying supplies and checking strains, felt like she had run six miles with a twenty-pound weight.
After removing the gear and showering, she sat exhausted in the rest corridor.
“How are you? Can you adapt?” Jiang Dexin asked, looking perfectly fresh.
“Teacher Jiang, you’re truly incredible…” Cheng Ming said, bowing respectfully.
“You need good physical fitness in our line of work,” Jiang Dexin laughed.
Cheng Ming tried to defend her condition, but Little Ming, quick to interrupt, muttered in her mind, “Then why did you get tired so easily yesterday…?”
“That’s because you consume too much of my energy every time!” Cheng Ming angrily refuted internally.
The functional areas of the lab were perfectly designed, but the corridors on this floor were strangely complex and disorienting. Security was extremely high, with top-tier door access and alarms everywhere.
However, as she walked out with Jiang Dexin, Cheng Ming suddenly stopped and pointed. “Teacher Jiang, is there another path over there? Where does it lead?”
She had noticed that all the surveillance cameras were conspicuously avoiding that single corridor—a major discrepancy in such a high-security zone.
Jiang Dexin glanced at it, casually dismissing it: “An abandoned lab. Don’t worry about it.”
Cheng Ming didn’t press the issue but remained thoughtful.
“What is it?” Little Ming asked.
“Do you remember that string of numbers?”
“What about them?”
Cheng Ming looked back at the cold, white corridor. The seamless walls felt like a shield, but also like an airtight coffin concealing a secret.
The number Professor Jin Xia had given her began with 21140.