Chapter 311: Unforeseen Transformation
The Final Assault
The Energy Blade was a lethal weapon created by Lex Luthor using alien technology, possessing both high-heat and cutting properties, resulting in extreme destructive power.
The blade sliced through the air, leaving a brilliant streak of light.
At the critical moment, Joshua raised his right hand and managed to block the blade.
Luthor exerted more force, and the blade cut through the monster's forearm, leaving an inch-deep gash on its neck.
Blood gushed out. The gravely injured Joshua screamed hysterically, rolling on the ground. His bloated body shrank into a ball, and nodules continually burst, splashing pieces of flesh that resembled insect eggs everywhere.
The scene was too horrifying, like a creature from a Cthulhu mythos.
Even the resolute Lex Luthor felt his scalp crawl. What in the world is this thing? A man? A bug? Or a monster?
Then, something even stranger occurred.
The monster's body began to swell rapidly, like foam in a washing machine, layering upon itself. Its mass grew constantly. Gradually, its limbs and head disappeared, swallowed by the ever-expanding mass of nodules.
A thick, nauseating stench of blood filled the room.
Luthor involuntarily backed away. Though he hated to admit it, he was genuinely terrified by the giant mass of flesh before him. This series of transformations exceeded the realm of any normal life form.
"Ivo! What the hell is this? I've already sliced its neck! Why won't it die?"
Anthony Ivo, busy packing his belongings, muttered,
"I told you to strike earlier, but you wouldn't listen. Now it's too late. Farewell, Mr. Luthor. I wish you a smooth journey to hell."
With that, he grabbed the hard drive filled with data and fled the underground base via the emergency passage. As the world's most intelligent scientist, there was no way he would perish alongside a man like Lex Luthor.
Luthor was furious at the lack of response, but reality afforded him no time for anger. The giant mass of flesh began to pulsate, swelling and contracting rhythmically, like a gigantic beating heart.
His intuition told him that if he didn't act immediately, the situation would become disastrous.
"Initiate Hellfire Missiles!"
The armor took a large step back. Cannon ports appeared on its shoulders and abdomen. Four missiles, flashing red, shot out, simultaneously striking the pulsating mass of flesh.
Boom!
The air violently shook. High-temperature flames and shockwaves combined to form an all-consuming fiery blast.
The underground base was instantly destroyed, the roof blown off, causing the entire villa above to explode.
The multi-million-dollar villa was reduced to ruins. Oil paintings and artwork were incinerated.
The power of the Hellfire Missiles was immense. After the initial explosion, subsequent blasts followed one after another, the flames rising higher and higher, turning an area hundreds of meters wide deep red.
Fortunately, the villa was located in the suburbs with few residents nearby, or the explosion alone would have killed thousands.
The explosion continued for a dozen seconds before subsiding into silence.
A moment later, a figure emerged from the smoke-filled wreckage: Lex Luthor, still inside the Anti-Superman Suit. When the explosions occurred, he activated the defense mode, surviving the firestorm thanks to an energy barrier and the armor's inherent resilience.
The man survived, but the armor was severely damaged, with only the most basic drive system remaining.
"The losses are catastrophic."
Luthor turned to survey his surroundings, veins throbbing on his bald head.
The villa, the art, and the underground base were all destroyed. Rebuilding would cost at least two billion dollars.
"Damn it!"
Luthor fiercely clenched his fist. Just as he was about to call Sam Lane, he sensed movement behind him. He quickly turned. In one corner of the former villa, where the fragments of a statue had collected, the ground was rising and falling rhythmically.
Suddenly, a loud burst erupted.
Stones flew into the sky, and a humanoid creature with dark purplish-brown skin and a pair of wings on its back emerged against the backdrop of the setting sun.
It possessed a human-like appearance but was completely hairless. Its physical form was exquisitely proportioned, every muscle clearly defined, like a demigod from Greek mythology, possessing a perfect, flawless body.
The residual glow of the sunset enveloped the creature, adding a layer of mystery to its purplish-brown skin.
Lex Luthor felt his teeth chattering. The chilling closeness of death lingered, an unshakeable shadow. Though self-proclaimed arrogant, at this moment, he couldn't muster the will to fight. Instead, he felt a strange sense of envy.
A species desires evolution, just as a carp aspires to leap the dragon gate!
Perfection is the innate pursuit of life!
The creature before him gave him the illusion of perfection.
Joshua lowered his head, quietly looking at the armor at his feet. The red light in his eyes was gone, replaced by amber pupils. He was no longer the Parasite, a creature of pure slaughter and consumption, but a fusion of man and alien life.
The two DNAs had perfectly fused, giving rise to a new genetic sequence.
In a sense, the current Joshua believed himself to be the blueprint for human evolution.
With his sanity restored, Joshua had no desire for meaningless slaughter. He flapped his wings and descended in front of Luthor, speaking softly.
"I want to talk to you. May I?"
Luthor froze, clenching his right hand, highly cautious. "Who are you, exactly?"
"When I was human, my name was Joshua Allen, a delivery man. Now..." He paused and smiled. "You may call me Joshua Cveria."
"Cveria!"
Luthor's brow twitched. He asked gravely, "What does that represent?"
Joshua chuckled, a hint of wonder in his eyes. "Cveria is the alien life within me, a symbiotic species originating from a highly evolved planet. They are single-celled organisms with no ability to survive independently. They must combine with other life forms to survive."
Perhaps because of Joshua's gentle demeanor, the sense of urgency in Luthor's heart began to fade. He subconsciously pressed,
"Why did they choose you?"
"It was both a coincidence and an accident."
"On a noisy Christmas Eve, a homeless delivery man finished his last route and returned to the bridge arch. He was enjoying the food a kind person had given him when a stone drifted down the icy river. Out of curiosity, the delivery man picked up that stone. And then, there was me."
"I never would have guessed you had such an origin."
Joshua smiled.
"That memory is quite profound, unforgettable."
Luthor scrutinized him, his confusion deepening. Was this really the same ugly, terrifying mass of flesh from moments ago? The transformation was immense. One moment, he was the consuming Parasite, and the next, a polite gentleman.
What happened?
Joshua seemed to sense his confusion and chuckled.
"You can voice any questions you have, and I will answer them. By the way, I still don't know your name."
"Lex Luthor!"
The armor split open, and Lex, dressed in his suit, stepped out. "My name is Lex Luthor."
Joshua extended his right hand.
"Hello, Mr. Luthor."
Lex was speechless.
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