Chapter 81 Sea Cockroaches
"Madam, please rest assured, this is a symbiotic organism of deep-sea fish, just like barnacles."
The waiter immediately stepped forward to reassure them, saying, "They've been steamed at high temperatures and are completely harmless."
“But, but it’s moving!” Another customer pointed to the tiny multi-legged larvae in the plate, his voice trembling.
Upon seeing this, the restaurant manager rushed over and explained to everyone without changing his expression.
"Distinguished guests, this is a unique symbiotic relationship of deep-sea anglerfish. This symbiotic relationship is very common in deep-sea environments below 800 meters. They are just neural reflexes, just like how shrimp and crabs can still move their legs after being steamed."
As the manager spoke, he gestured to the staff to quickly remove the plates, saying, "To ensure everyone's dining experience, we will replace all the food immediately."
Immediately, the surrounding area erupted in discussion.
"This is not a nerve reflex at all!"
The young girl at the next table turned pale with fright. "I just saw those little bugs burrowing into the meat!"
What's the big fuss about?
A middle-aged man who had already eaten fish dismissed the idea, saying, "Isn't this the same principle as eating barnacles?"
"That's right, they've already explained it clearly, saying it's a specialty of the deep sea."
His female companion immediately chimed in, her eyes looking somewhat unfocused, "You guys are just so unsophisticated."
But on the other side, several young people were having a heated argument:
"These are clearly cockroach larvae! I'm from Guangdong, and I've seen them since I was a child; the Guangdong double-tailed cockroach larvae look just like this!!!"
"But the manager said they're symbiotic organisms..."
"Don't eat it anymore. Look at the expressions of those who have eaten it; they all look a bit off. Just throw it away."
Xie Xun watched the commotion in front of him quietly.
Those who spoke up for the strange fish all had faint spiderweb-like black line scars on the back of their necks.
They were unconsciously rubbing the back of their necks, their eyes filled with an unnatural fervor, trying their best to persuade others to try it.
"I think it tastes really good. We don't usually get to eat such good food."
A young girl was trying to persuade her friend, "Just try it, it won't hurt."
Her friend, however, kept backing away, saying, "No, no, it disgusts me."
Just then, a child suddenly pointed at the man who had coughed earlier and said, "Mommy, there are worms crawling on the back of that uncle's neck!"
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw that the black lines on the back of the man's neck were wriggling under the skin, as if they were alive.
He himself was completely unaware and was still enjoying his fish.
The scene was chaotic. Guests who had been observing retreated one after another, while those who had been parasitized continued to eat as if nothing had happened, which was chilling to watch.
"Sister, let's go quickly." Even someone as carefree as Jiang Lehui could tell something was wrong, and she pulled Shen Zhaoyao away.
"But……"
Shen Zhaoyao, contrary to her usual self, stared blankly at the strange fish that had been removed, the black markings on her neck faintly visible. "That dish looked really special..."
"It should be disgusting!" Jiang Lehui pulled her away quickly.
Xie Xun looked at the divided crowd in the restaurant and whispered to Jiang Le, "Let's go back to my room."
"Come on, sister, stop looking."
"I... let me go..."
Jiang Lehui forcefully led the somewhat unsettled Shen Zhaoyao out, and the four of them quickly returned to their room.
As soon as the door closed, Shen Zhaoyao curled up on the sofa, trembling, her face frighteningly pale.
Xie Xun immediately noticed the black lines on her neck writhing wildly. His brows furrowed, and he quickly took out cinnabar and drew a calming talisman on the back of her neck.
At the same time, seven talismans to ward off evil were placed all over Shen Zhaoyao's body.
As he chanted the incantation, the runes glowed with golden light. Suddenly, Shen Zhaoyao arched her body and gagged violently, and dozens of black larvae poured out of her mouth.
"Hold her down!" Xie Xun quickly took out a peach wood sword from his backpack and held it across her chest to prevent her from being possessed.
Jiang Le held tightly to the struggling Shen Zhaoyao, noticing the black lines beneath her skin moving like living snakes. Xie Xun bit his fingertip, drew a blood talisman on yellow paper, burned it, and mixed it with water.
"Drink it." He pinched Shen Zhaoyao's chin and poured the talisman water down her throat.
The moment the talisman water entered her throat, Shen Zhaoyao suddenly convulsed violently, letting out a shrill scream, and countless wriggling lumps appeared on her skin. Those lumps quickly ruptured, and the black larvae that emerged turned into black smoke the instant they touched the air.
The last female worm, about half a finger's length long, crawled out of her nasal cavity, fell onto the carpet, and wriggled wildly, desperately trying to find a new host to crawl into.
Just then, Little Green shot out of the sports bag, its mouth snapping into the mother worm and swallowing it whole in a few swift movements.
After devouring the mother insect, the scales of the bamboo leaf green gleamed with a metallic sheen, and the rune on its forehead faintly glowed with golden light.
It climbed onto Xie Xun's shoulder, swishing its little snake tail triumphantly, as if seeking praise.
Xie Xun chuckled and gently scratched the little snake's chin with his fingertips. The little green snake, like a little dog, wagged its tail even more happily.
"What... what the hell is this?" Jiang Lehui's voice trembled.
Xie Xun frowned as he looked at Shen Zhaoyao, who was still twitching slightly, and turned to Jiang Lehui, "How long has she been like this?"
"It started this month,"
Jiang Le hurriedly recalled, "Last month she said she went on a business trip with a high-ranking leader, and then she came back from a cruise ship and this is what happened... She always has low blood sugar and dizziness, and her body is always sticky..."
Xie Xun's eyes sharpened, and he took out cinnabar and applied it to Shen Zhaoyao's brow. "Are you alright?"
"I feel much better now, thank you, Ah Xun."
Shen Zhaoyao weakly opened her eyes, her voice broken, "That cruise ship was Liu's exploration vessel. They said they discovered a rare fish species in the deep sea, and these fish were covered with barnacle-like worms. They said these were sea cockroaches, deep-sea creatures that live in symbiosis with anglerfish."
She suddenly coughed violently, grabbed Jiang Lehui's hand, and said in a terrified voice, "Liu Yongchang's eldest son also died on this ship."
Jiang Lehui gasped. "You mean the accident that killed Liu Ming?"
"It wasn't an accident..."
Fear flashed in Shen Zhaoyao's eyes, "We saw it all on the ship. Those long-legged fish crawled into the cabin, and Liu Ming was dragged into the sea by them... It was so disgusting, so disgusting. His father was right there watching, and he was even laughing..."
She became more and more agitated as she spoke, and the dark lines on her neck suddenly began to twitch.
Xie Xun quickly drew a talisman to ward off evil, and golden light entered Shen Zhaoyao's forehead.
She curled up in Jiang Lehui's arms in pain, dark lines bulging and moving beneath her skin.
"So Liu Yongchang used his own son as a test subject?"
Fu Qinghuai sneered, "They really are as cold-blooded as ever. The Liu family, from top to bottom, are all like that."
Like the Xie family, they will stop at nothing to achieve their goals.
Suddenly, Fu Qinghuai's feelings for Xie Xun became increasingly complicated. He couldn't tell whether Xie Xun wanted to continue toying with his feelings or if Fu Qinghuai had already fallen for him without realizing it.
"fine,"
Xie Xun's fingertips were still pressed against Shen Zhaoyao's brow, feeling the chaotic energy flowing beneath the runes. He soothed her, "Tell me slowly, don't get agitated."
As soon as he finished speaking, he noticed that the black lines on Shen Zhaoyao's neck became unusually active when she mentioned Liu Yongchang, pulsating as if they were alive.
But he has done his best to remove those things.
If he still can't get rid of it, then it's completely beyond his capabilities, beyond his scope.
"No, it's not entirely an experiment..."
After a long while, Shen Zhaoyao, who had regained some clarity, weakly shook her head, her face pale. "It seems he's looking for a substitute, and he needs a direct descendant to succeed. I don't know the specifics, but when Liu Ming died tragically, he shouted something about choosing a member of the Liu family every year, and why should he be the one to offer lanterns..."
Direct lineage, lantern?
In an instant, Xie Xun thought of the resurrection magic that used the blood of his closest relatives to sacrifice in the Liu family's haunted house.
Doesn't this match what Shen Zhaoyao is saying right now?
"Did Liu Yongchang mention anything about resurrecting anyone, or about some kind of evil magic to resurrect close relatives?"
"...No, what is this?"
Shen Zhaoyao clearly didn't understand, and the confusion in her fearful expression wasn't feigned at all; it was as if she genuinely couldn't comprehend it.
Seeing this, Xie Xun understood the situation.
Just then, a sickening scraping sound suddenly came from outside the door.
Suddenly, a tidal wave of black insects surged out of the vents, door cracks, and even wall seams.
Each one is about the size of a palm, with a shiny black shell covered in disgusting slime, and its tiny legs make a creepy rustling sound as they crawl.
They were no longer just a few scattered ones, but spread wildly like black oil stains, at an astonishing speed, instantly covering half a wall and most of the floor.
The most terrifying thing is that their mouthparts are like rotating saw teeth, frantically gnawing at everything they come into contact with as they go.
Including their kind!
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