Insect eggs (two in one)

I was so embarrassed, I couldn't express how awkward it was for a moment, but I couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief and start laughing. I guess I looked like an idiot.

Just with this smile, I felt a pain in my chest and abdomen when I came to my senses. The broker seemed to have expected it and was not surprised. My throat was itchy and I bent over and vomited a mouthful of hot blood.

This mouthful of blood was inexplicable. I touched my aching chest and thought, "This is not good. Are we switching to a martial arts movie?" Then a small fry like me with a weak constitution will not survive more than three episodes.

At the same time, my throat felt sweet and my body began to itch vaguely.

Thinking about the broker's vomited blood which was full of insect eggs, I immediately realized the problem and touched my forearms and other exposed skin.

I don't know if it was the thin wounds on my fingers that were causing the pain or what, but it hurt everywhere I touched. I gritted my teeth in pain and gasped, "It doesn't seem right." Before I could finish my words, I shook my hand and wiped off a handful of empty, shrunken insect shells from my forearm.

Oh shit, my head exploded and my face turned green.

Why does this damn thing never stop? I tore a piece of clean cloth from my underwear and used it to wipe the dried blood on my eyelids.

I didn't feel it just now because I was very close to that blue face, but when I made a big movement, I felt as if my arms were being pulled by something, and my range of movement was extremely small. It was as if I was suspended in the air by the pressure. The situation was very strange.

I blinked my sore and astringent eyes again and couldn't help but groan inwardly. My eyes were covered in blood just now. I hope nothing will happen.

But I really can't think about it too much. Once I think about it, the itching sensation all over my body becomes so intense that I can't bear it.

"Don't wipe it. There aren't many left." The broker said sternly, asking me to divert my attention. "Their incubation time is extremely long. From what I can see, most people will never see them mature in their lifetime. Right now, your body is not used to it and is rejecting it."

I was stunned, not caring that I was still hanging in the air, "What on earth is..." Many speculations flashed through my mind instantly. The sweet taste of the remaining blood in my mouth had a vague sense of familiarity that made my eyelids twitch.

I thought of something that had no solution.

In a small town, after people are alienated, there are two main forms of transformation:

One is that they are assimilated by the insect eggs, and the original whole human form is dispersed, and after transformation, they enter the mist; the other is that the original separate human bodies are connected and glued together to become the long banyan tree man.

These two transformation directions, one dispersion and one aggregation, both retain the basic consciousness of human beings. Judging from the inverted rules of moving the mouse, the two seem to be still well-balanced.

But I still don't have a good explanation for why when people disperse, they transform into insect eggs instead of simply turning into a pile of hearts, livers, kidneys, spleens or red and white blood cells.

The conjectures and metaphors of the shadows in the cave explained to me the alienated nature of the long man in the banyan tree; the murals on the small building on the platform told me about the setting of the morning and evening mechanism of the entire town, and also let me know about the various arrangements made by the predecessors who sacrificed themselves and transformed themselves into barriers.

In this process, let’s not talk about the fact that fog is an existing environment, but the transformation of the insect eggs themselves is too fragmented and cannot be linked to the “cave projection” hypothesis at all.

Until now, the brokers seemed to regard the eggs as a life-saving remedy. This made me reluctantly think of another magic medicine that could bring back the dead.

No way, I said in astonishment, "Pool water? This is what's in the pool water in the Snow Mountain Underground Palace? The essence of artificial amniotic fluid is royal jelly, right?"

If this is the case, then Xu You, Gao Liu, I, and countless other colleagues have all used processed artificial amniotic fluid to treat injuries. Doesn't that mean we have already been infested with worm eggs?

Damn, it turns out that Yishu wasn't crazy, as he actually accepted the bizarre setting that "people" could turn into insect eggs after being dispersed. Instead, every one of us in this group was mixed with insect eggs, and it was not exposed until we were dispersed.

In a dispersed state, the basic building blocks of a person are probably too small to be visually detected, so the only thing left is the eggs as a framework and visible marker.

The mouse just coldly treated us as building blocks by doing some reverse addition and subtraction. He did nothing else but take the blame.

Thinking back to the strange hallucination I had not long ago when I was trapped in the wall, I felt mixed emotions for a moment. Could it be that the perspective I put myself in was the perspective of the insect eggs themselves? Was it the insect eggs in my body that woke up and gave me a moment of empathy?

“It took only one or two generations for the Nian family to discover the pools and make use of them, and soon after that the entire town was handed over to the Zhang family.

It was at that time that we, the survivors, were entrusted to the Zhang family for resettlement.

Some people choose to take the subsidy from the Zhang family, leave this circle and return to ordinary life;

Some people had nowhere to go, such as me, who were mostly young orphans who could not make a living on their own, so they were left in the Zhang family to be taken care of and raised.”

The broker said, "After entering the town, my body temperature has been difficult to maintain normal, and I have been sweating frequently. I am afraid that the insect eggs have begun to revive and become active. It was not until just now, when I was hanging on my breath and fell into suspended animation, and it was these insect eggs that maintained my vital signs, that I realized what this familiar 'recovery' was."

It suddenly dawned on me.

The insect eggs that accidentally got mixed into the restored murals on the platform building have survived for a long time, but they have remained alive and not completely dead. Until I accidentally discovered them, they can still move when they are touched by water. It turns out that it is not only their strong vitality, but also that their original living environment is like this.

According to this line of thought, the insect eggs seemed to be a means specially set up when the underground palace was built to prevent it from being looted.

The eggs were originally in the thick earth of the underground palace walls, without sunlight or moisture, and had been dormant. The extremely cold environment of the snowy mountains did not meet the temperature requirements of the eggs.

However, when the platform fraud occurred, someone knocked off the murals and peeled off the sealing soil, and the insect eggs were gradually exposed.

During this process, the person who first came into contact with the parasite will inevitably be parasitized, and his body temperature will drop sharply due to hypothermia. In the snowy mountains, when the body surface temperature suddenly drops sharply, the initiator will probably soon become confused and terrified.

So, judging from the fact that the platform was built, the man probably had companions, otherwise he would have died in front of the underground palace, and his body would have been buried by the frozen wind and snow along with the insect eggs, never to see the light of day again.

Looking at it this way, I can't help but want to smile bitterly.

The water in the pool in front of the underground palace was probably just some ordinary stagnant water. The insect eggs were released by humans, and they were eager for water to help hatch, so they mixed into the pool. However, due to the lack of high temperature conditions, they eventually hibernated for the second time in the pool water.

As a result, they were salvaged again by new, unsuspecting visitors. Because of the long and silent incubation period, and because the offspring eggs that had been frozen in the pool for a long time were extremely weak and no longer as severe, they were regarded as a miraculous treatment.

Thinking of this, I suddenly felt a little scared. If Zhang Tianyi and I had not carefully scraped off the excess paint on the platform, but had violently destroyed the mural in order to find clues, we would have discovered that there were some more primitive insect egg remnants sleeping inside the mural.

Not to mention that the original version of the insect eggs is likely to be more aggressive and parasitic, the key is that when a storm comes, the high temperature and high pressure of the active volcano below can arrive at any time, right below the small building.

We almost followed in the footsteps of the tomb robber and released the insect eggs. And this time, if the original insect eggs were to leave the insulation and confinement of the murals and encounter the right conditions, how explosively they would multiply in an instant, I shudder just thinking about it.

The core device that was originally built to suppress the underground fire, and the murals that were originally retrieved and carefully restored to preserve important information, the two together could potentially become the most terrifying source of plague at any time.

The offspring insect eggs in the fog of the small town now seemed to be an accident and luck after generations.

They protected those human bodies and provided them with some kind of vitality; and because they could naturally absorb some of the high temperature to supply themselves, they slowly evolved in a targeted manner and were even able to store cold air and spew it out, preventing the entire town from turning into a high-temperature purgatory.

At the same time, as a result of years of parasitism and adaptation to the human body, the scattered human bodies are in turn controlling the population size of worm eggs in disguise, selecting healthier and more cold-resistant offspring, and helping the worm eggs to spread stably in new hosts.

From a biological perspective, reducing the harsh lethality to the host and instead improving adaptability and broadening the breadth of living environments is indeed the inevitable path for the evolution of parasites.

But even with such luck, this unexpected fortune will eventually come to an end.

This is true for the Nian family and for us.

That's it. If you put all the things together and look back, you will find that:

The platform was finally built, the small building and underground mechanism to resist the active volcano were also ingeniously set up, and the unexpected symbiosis of insect eggs also improved the harsh environment of the town, allowing the transformed human bodies to last longer. On the road of doing everything possible, the Nian family, who had come to this point, had almost grasped both human power and destiny in their hands and done their best.

But at the same time, every step is accompanied by great hidden dangers.

There always seems to be an inverted law of moving the mouse looming in the dark. Behind every accident and luck is a fatal disaster that may overturn at any time.

The only thing to be thankful for is that the pool water is precious and at least it won't fall into the hands of ordinary people.

Even more fortunately, and it may sound a bit cold-blooded, the Nian family was almost completely destroyed, and most of the Zhang family members had gone on adventures everywhere and were buried in some secret place isolated from the world. For the time being, there was no risk of spreading the insect eggs to the outside world.

As a result of this incident, the Zhang family was recalled early by accident, and almost all the insect eggs would return to the town before hatching and exploding.

I was chilled to my core, wondering if the fog eruption many years ago was like this? Did the pattern of the fog eruption actually depend on the hatching speed of the insect eggs and the activity of the active volcano under the town?

When an active volcano reaches a critical point, the hatching of eggs will accelerate, the fog will expand, and in turn suppress the high temperature. At the same time, because the eggs are about to mature, just like the wire worm controlling the mantis to jump into the water to commit suicide, the host parasitized by the eggs will unconsciously find various reasonable reasons to convince itself to come here.

New hosts and new eggs will replenish the eggs lost in the previous batch, thus achieving a virtuous cycle. In this way, active volcanoes may never go out, but the continuation of life of humans and eggs will also continue to provide a barrier regularly.

The fog, the insect eggs, the parasitic people, the transformed banyan tree guards, the small building on the platform, the banyan tree mechanism, the underground pipes, everything, are the most tightly coupled gears. They seem unrelated, but in the end they are always coupled together to operate well.

This tightrope-walking balance, because it treats insect eggs and humans equally, is almost a natural result of the survival and decline of species in a certain "ecology".

"... Are the Zhang family members really unaware of this?" I suddenly felt a little uncertain. "Did the Zhang family choose this place as the gathering place just by chance, or were they just subconsciously influenced by the insect eggs?"

However, the problem still remains: pool water is a rare commodity. Everything about artificial amniotic fluid is top secret within the Zhang family.

It is very unnatural to have such a miracle drug, but to strictly control its use without knowing the true appearance of the worm eggs. This gave me a very complicated and indescribable feeling.

And from some information that the female team doctor had said, the reserve of artificial amniotic fluid has always been limited, and they would not go to the snow mountain to fetch water until it was used up. So even though Lei Zige had a broken limb, the second-hand remnants that Xu You used after treating his injury were used for him. This is a very restrained approach, even avoiding pool water.

If there is indeed someone who is clearly aware of and deliberately maintains this entire harsh but effective benign coupling, then the first half has been done by the Nian family, and the second half has been done by the Zhang family who took over the town.

What kind of decision maker is this who could be so cruel as to come up with such a design, and possibly even hide it from most people?

In fact, when I think about it carefully, I used artificial amniotic fluid because I was seriously injured and on the verge of death in the reflection camp of the pit. Originally, I would not have anything to do with parasitic eggs.

The Zhang family gathering had nothing to do with me originally. I only found out that the Zhang family was busy with this matter because I was bored and gossiping.

Xiao Liu also mentioned in casual chat that Yan Mo rejected the invitation to the party on my behalf, saying that he was worried that I would feel uncomfortable and did not allow me to participate.

——So, were those who were called to the party really completely unaware? Were all members of the Zhang family really being schemed against by a clown like Nian Ziqing without realizing it?

Maybe I'm the only one who doesn't know.

In other words, they had no intention of implicating or sacrificing me.

According to the original arrangement, I would have never known about the party and the town.

After I had doubts about Zhang Tianyi's matter and expressed my firm intention to try to get involved, Yan Mo and the broker came to my door as soon as possible.

Logically, they would have stayed by my side and watched over me, and would not have easily let me set foot in the town. At most, I played a supporting role at the very edge of the incident and offered some advice.

It was I who speculated that something had happened in the Zhang family and that there might be a disaster that would affect the outside world. As the situation was urgent, I temporarily persuaded the two to leave and set up a checkpoint, while Nian Ziqing and I set off first.

On the way, the plan was changed to let me meet up with Xiao Liu and the others outside the town, and we also agreed to just patrol outside to gather information. If I joined the main force normally, it would obviously not put me in danger.

It was the incident with Nian Ziqing and the bus that led me to enter the town. At the same time, the broker risked his life to enter the town to remind Xu You and Zhang Tianyi to save me.

In each of these twists and turns, everyone tried their best to keep me out of danger. Maybe it was because of friendship, or maybe it was because they didn't want to drag me, an outsider, into the water again.

No matter what the reason was that I was finally involved in this matter, my arrangement with the Zhang family was always an accident among accidents.

What about using all your assets to renovate my house? What about wanting to live off me for free? These bastards are clearly handing over their inheritance and coaxing me as if nothing happened.

My heart was shocked.

"Master's wife, no, Sister Nian. Are you...are you really willing?"

"Nian Ziqing is right. The Zhang family does have a blood oath. Once a promise is made, it must be fulfilled at all costs." The broker said softly, "But it's not his fake trick. This is the oath made with the real Nian family and the real banyan tree as witnesses. There is no external force to restrain us."

"The Zhang family does have a distinction between direct descendants and branch families. But we were all homeless originally. The so-called direct descendants have nothing to do with bloodline. They are just an extra secret and oath to bear."

"——As for me, I should have done this. But you, kid."

The broker looked at me gently, as if he was somewhat relieved and guilty, and asked me to continue to call her Master's Wife.

I felt ashamed and said honestly, "My cheap master Xu You and I have only been bickering. I feel a little guilty for calling you Master's Wife and for your love and care for me."

The broker was stunned and slowly shook his head.

"I asked you to call me Master's Wife because you were tricked into this circle by my husband.

An innocent child like you was dragged into trouble for no reason. Everyone calls you a counselor and asks you for help. After a long time, it is inevitable that it will be taken for granted. The identity of a teacher's wife is to remind me to always remember the mistakes my husband made and remember your grievances and hard work. "

She added seriously, "I am the 'broker' of the family. I communicate with the insiders and outsiders and maintain fairness. This is what I should do in public affairs, not to show favoritism."

I was stunned for a moment.

I was caught off guard by these words. The broker's words were so serious and seemed to be unkind. I felt my eyes and nose were sore and a little warm. I felt that I was respected and spoiled too much in all aspects, and I was a little speechless.

However, with so many unexpected things happening, it has come to this point, and you can’t leave me behind no matter what.

Having said that, our conversation actually lasted only a few moments, and only then did the tiny cuts on my body slowly seep out one or two drops of blood.

The broker took a serious look at it and said that the eggs in my body seemed extremely weak and the effect might not be very good.

But I couldn't delay any longer, so I waited for a moment and pulled out a small glass bottle from my collar. In the glass bottle was something that looked like a dried jellyfish.

When I saw it, I was stunned again.

This was apparently the relic left by the female tour guide to Gao Rui. I handed it over and returned it to Gao Rui. How did it end up here with the broker?

However, I realized after thinking about it: "Is this originally used to restrain young people?"

Damn, this is a big pit waiting for Nian Ziqing and the people behind him to jump in.

Comb jellyfish are the natural enemy of banyan trees, but now everyone knows that the valley is closed and the comb jellyfish have retreated. Gao Liu, the only person who has been parasitized by comb jellyfish, has been assigned to investigate the affairs of a travel agency and cannot show up here.

This is simply a blatant seduction with a big loudspeaker, shouting: Whoever has a banyan tree is invincible.

I got a headache just thinking about it, and I couldn't help but feel a pain in my teeth. I thought this was too immoral. If Nian Ziqing really got angry and shouted "Who can kill me?", and suddenly someone appeared with a comb jellyfish and threw it on his face, wouldn't that be an extremely tragic and funny situation?

The small bottle entrusted by the female tour guide was actually what she left here after she gained enlightenment among the goddesses, waiting for it to be fulfilled.

Nian Ziqing boasted that he had "foreseen" a lot through comb jellies, and thought that fate was in his hands. Did he ever think that an ordinary person whom he despised and used could see more and farther than him, could endure more, and was willing to risk everything, and had been waiting for him here?

Wait, let me put it this way... half a month ago, after all of us were rescued, the Zhang family used the clues we obtained to connect the situation with the Nian family and learned the true situation of the travel agency.

Therefore, while arranging for his death, the Zhang family also designed a trap to liquidate Nian Ziqing and the person behind the scenes.

In this case, Gao Liu, who is arranging his mother's funeral, must also be informed clearly.

She cooperated with the Zhang family's plan and endured the pain of losing her mother. She asked team leader Zhang Jia and Wild Cat to carry the coffin home for her first, while she worked outside as a smokescreen and entrusted the only remaining comb jellyfish bottle to the broker, her adoptive mother.

How painful must she have been feeling when she quietly advised me to rest in the ward?

No wonder the broker once said in a cold voice that Nian Ziqing should pay with blood.

Many unintentional things turn out to be so turbulent when we look back.

I was terrified and felt something was wrong: "Master's wife, how did you originally plan to use this comb jellyfish? It's already dried up. Do you want to use some kind of shaman to perform CPR on it?" My heart suddenly rose to my throat.

The broker looked at me, thought about it, and then looked embarrassed.

"I'm not very good at lying. You... ask your master later?"

Isn't this obviously saying that you want to die alone? You want Xu You to deceive me later, right? I was a little angry, but I didn't have any tricks to deal with the broker, this amiable elder, so I could only look at her with a bitter face.

"Master's wife, the Zhang family keeps their word. You promised me that nothing would happen to me, so you must live a long life. Don't lie to me like this."

"I didn't lie to you."

I was delighted: "Then...?"

The broker also looked at me and shook his head seriously.

I sighed and thought, okay, an honest person like Master's wife has finally been infected with the bad habits of those bastards. I had no choice but to ask, what arrangements are there for a small soldier like me?

His eyes were fixed on the small bottle without giving up.

To my surprise, the broker asked me a seemingly irrelevant question at this time:

"When you came to the town, you should have seen the bus stop sign, right? Do you remember the name of this town?"

Bus stop sign?

It seems so.

But this is too vague. I tried to recall the dusty sign that I glanced at. It seemed to have two words.

"——Fog, number?"

The broker nodded and put his arm around my shoulder. "Just remember. Go find the cockpit of the Foghorn."

I suddenly became alert, and felt my whole body tense to the extreme, and the feeling of being hooked and suspended by something suddenly disappeared.

I blurted out "Wait a minute" and was pushed out heavily.

The feeling of weightlessness came with it, and there were several consecutive sounds similar to the sound of silk threads breaking. I saw the broker seemed to be waving her arms above my head and shoulders, tearing something in half with force. At the same time, she also lost weight and fell backwards.

In the darkness, strange lights flickered and lit up one after another. It seemed that a vague figure jumped up and grabbed the broker's arm and belt.

The fall only took a moment, and the vague feeling of heat all around came again, but it was not as severe. It seemed that it had passed the period of outbreak and was receding.

The impact came slowly, and my back suddenly hit the hot and soft metal pipe.