Chapter 313: The Parasite's True Nature!
The Cost of Evolution
Lex Luthor was not the type of man to be merciful to an enemy, but Joshua Cveria's behavior gave him pause.
Was it a man? A bug? Or a new species?
He was courteous and soft-spoken, like a well-educated, aristocratic gentleman.
Yet he was strangely formed, immensely powerful, and his hands were stained with blood, like a reformed butcher.
These two contrasting personas merged, giving the current Joshua a captivating presence that naturally drew people in.
Luthor was no exception. Despite his constant vigilance, he was drawn by the creature's displayed temperament.
"Ivo, tell me your assessment of him."
The old man, who was busy analyzing data, replied without looking up, "Rather than an assessment, I'd prefer you kill him. His corpse would be extremely valuable for research."
Luthor's eyes were unfocused. "He gives me a strange feeling, as if he holds some kind of expectation—cooperation? Or something else."
The old man raised his ugly face and spoke with mild astonishment. "That's an alien! A bug with parasitic properties! And you're actually considering cooperating with a bug!"
"He's not a bug. He's a hybrid, a highly evolved, intelligent life form. I see the future of humanity in him."
Luthor was serious, but the old man scoffed. "Nonsense! All nonsense! He's fooled you."
"Joshua is not human. He's a powerful species with an extremely high metabolic rate. Based on physiological reasoning, the metabolic rate is directly proportional to the food intake. Do you understand?"
Luthor was puzzled, not grasping the implication.
The old man sneered. "During the communication, I scanned his physical structure with an instrument. The result? He has no organs, no arteries, and no heart. He is a special life form structured solely on individual cells. Do you know what that means?"
Luthor's face tightened, his expression growing serious. "He has no digestive system?"
"Not only does he lack a digestive system, he has no circulatory system, no reproductive system, no nervous system—he lacks everything! Except for one thing that's indispensable: feeding."
"Tell me, what does a monster without a digestive system rely on to replenish its energy?"
Luthor sprang up, grabbing his phone. The old man mocked him.
"I calculated his metabolic rate. The preliminary conclusion is that to maintain his current normal function, he must absorb the life force of at least fifteen adult males per day. That's ten per day, which works out to over five thousand a year, and that's only if he's actively conserving energy and never taking extra meals."
"He is a monster, a predator destined to consume everything. Nothing he does can change his nature for slaughter."
Luthor ignored him. When the call connected, he asked urgently,
"Do you still have any of the meteorite fragments?"
Sam Lane, sitting in his car, frowned. "Why do you need the meteorite? Did he find you?"
"Yes."
Luthor took a deep breath. "I was defeated, but he didn't kill me. He invited me to talk and told me his name."
"Joshua Allen—that was his human name. His current name is Joshua Cveria. He has learned to control his abilities and has acquired both humanity and intelligence."
"He has become far more dangerous. You need to prepare."
Luthor rapidly shared all the information without holding anything back. This was a calculated and firm decision: Joshua's existence was a threat to the human race, and he couldn't prioritize individual gain over that.
Sam Lane signaled the driver to stop, carefully analyzing the information. After a long moment, he said,
"I will contact you again once I'm back."
After the call, Luthor stared blankly at the sofa. His mind filled with information about the parasite, culminating in a single question:
"There's one thing I still don't understand. It's only been two days since the meteorite fell. How did he evolve to this level? Who provided him with the life force?"
Anthony Ivo concurred. "That is the very question I have been investigating."
A Guarded Offer
The snow was falling harder, thick flakes covering the entire sky.
At the beach in Eastern Metropolis, an elliptical villa stood on a headland. To its east was the boundless ocean, and behind it, countless lights outlined the perfect city skyline.
Inside the top-floor glass balcony of the villa.
Linda Danvers, having finished dinner, leaned on the sofa, yawning while watching boring television. When hungry, she would pierce a piece of golden-roasted lamb leg and enjoy a bite.
In contrast, Luke Shaw, who was agonizing over the Phantom-2 blueprints, looked like a tenant farmer toiling for the landlord.
The clock ticked. As the minute hand crossed the '3', a harsh alarm blared inside the house.
Luke took off his glasses and stared out the window.
Linda leapt up and stood on the balcony.
A tall figure appeared in the dark sky. Accompanied by the whooshing sound of flapping wings, a hairless, purplish-brown humanoid creature came into view.
Joshua folded his wings and bowed.
"Hello, Madam. I wish to speak with the owner of this villa."
Linda scrutinized him, asking uncertainly,
"Are you the killer from the Bloody Christmas case?"
The slightly confused question caused a look of pain to cross Joshua's face. He lowered his head deeply.
"I truly apologize for what happened to those people. It was not my intention, but since it has happened, I will offer compensation where possible."
Linda's expression was odd. She couldn't help but examine him again. Was this really the killer? He seemed so amicable.
Luke Shaw, wearing a down jacket, walked out of the room and got straight to the point.
"You're here for the meteorite!"
"Yes."
Joshua lifted his head and met Luke's eyes. Those light green eyes seemed like cold fire, sending a deep chill straight to the soul, causing an involuntary shiver.
The intuition of a higher life form told him that this young man was extraordinary.
"Are you the owner of the villa?"
"My name is Luke Shaw. You should have heard it."
Joshua nodded slowly. "When I was a delivery man, I had a colleague from Asia who often spoke of you and regarded you as an idol."
"Oh!"
Luke raised an eyebrow. "You retain your human memories?"
"Yes. Humanity occupies the vast majority of my personality and consciousness. The rest is the knowledge and enlightenment gained from life's evolution. It is a transcendent understanding—it represents life, it represents destiny. Mr. Shaw, if possible, I would like to talk with you."
Luke observed him carefully. Confirming the creature wasn't lying, he shook his head and smiled.
"Let's get back to business. What you want is beneath this villa. I can give it to you, provided you defeat the beautiful, charming, sexy, fearless, kind, and generous Super-Teenage Girl standing next to me."
"Win against her, and the meteorite is yours. I give you my word."
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