Isn't It Better to Be Alive?

Hearing the gunshot, Fang Zheng's eye twitched. He looked at the smoking bullet hole not far from his side, then turned around helplessly. Behind him stood six or seven young men pointing pistols at him. Their leader was the thug boss whose face Fang Zheng had beaten black and blue earlier. The injuries on his face had yet to heal.

"Hey, you bastard!"

The thug boss raised his gun and glared viciously at Fang Zheng. The others beside him were also swaggering about, looking extremely smug. Sure enough, having guns in hand gave them courage. Just moments ago, the three of them had practically been ready to kneel before Fang Zheng. Now, judging by their expressions, they clearly intended to make him kneel before them instead.

"You had a great time beating me up earlier, didn't you? Think you're tough? Come on, come over here and see whether your fists are stronger or my gun is!"

"..."

Looking at the dark muzzle before him, Fang Zheng felt no ripples in his heart. He even found it a little funny. He really had not expected that after casually robbing a couple of thugs, they would actually follow him out to settle the score. What kind of nonsense was this?

"So what do you want me to do?"

"Very simple."

Seeing Fang Zheng's expression, the thug boss revealed a smug smile. He first exchanged looks with his companions, then turned back to Fang Zheng and raised his gun.

"Give Laozi's money back! Then kneel down and let Laozi teach you a proper lesson! Oh, and strip off all your clothes too. We'll take pictures and upload them online! This is what happens when you provoke the Kaft Brothers! You lot, get over there and grab him! And you!"

As he spoke, the thug boss gestured with his chin toward a woman beside him, whose heavily made-up face looked like a ghost's and made it impossible to tell her age.

"Get a good recording. This is going to be tonight's trending headline!"

Hearing the thug boss, the woman giggled and raised her phone at Fang Zheng.

"..."

Watching this scene, Fang Zheng shook his head helplessly. He looked at the thug boss, then spread his hands.

"Sorry, I have important things to do. I don't have time to play with you. How about this? I'll return the rest of the money, and then you leave... how does that sound? I don't want any conflict, but you wouldn't really kill someone, would you?"

"What's there to be afraid of?"

Hearing Fang Zheng's reply, the thug boss revealed a ferocious grin.

"These days, who knows when those damned aliens might come attacking? Besides, plenty of idiots have gone missing in the forest and been killed by aliens... I'm sure the police won't mind adding one more name. All right, kid, put your hands up! I won't say it again! You lot, hold him down and let him taste what we can do!"

At the thug boss's command, two of his companions grinned viciously, rolled up their sleeves, and walked over. They reached out, intending to grab Fang Zheng. Yet just as they were about to seize him, Parasite suddenly hopped out beside Fang Zheng's feet and let out a series of "Squeak, squeak, squeak!" cries at them.

"What the hell is that?!"

The two accomplices were startled by the Parasite that had suddenly appeared before them and hurriedly backed away. But Parasite clearly had no intention of letting them go. It leaped fiercely onto one of them. Then tendrils emerged from its body and plunged deep into the man's flesh!

"AAAAAAAH!!"

The man let out a scream. Then he turned around, his eyes bloodshot as he glared at the other accomplice beside him. Clenching the steel pipe in his hand, he swung it at the other man!

"Hey, stop!"

Seeing this, the thug boss was shocked. He hurriedly raised his gun and aimed it at his crazed subordinate, but before he could pull the trigger, he watched in horror as the man suddenly burst apart with a Bang, turning into a puddle of blood and flesh. Immediately afterward, the man he had attacked began screaming as well. He clutched his head, rolling on the ground and shrieking in agony. The thug boss's face instantly went pale at the sight.

"You... what did you do to them?!"

Roaring, the thug boss raised his pistol at Fang Zheng and tried to pull the trigger without hesitation. But before he could make another move, his expression abruptly changed. His face flushed red, and though he opened his mouth, he could not utter a word. Just before he could pull the trigger at Fang Zheng, a mysterious and powerful force had seized him and everyone around him, holding them firmly in its grasp.

"...Isn't it better to be alive?"

Looking at the flushed, struggling men, Fang Zheng sighed helplessly. He was not an evil person, nor did he enjoy killing. But the more politely he treated these people, the more aggressive they became. And now they had seen Parasite as well... There was nothing to be done. They could only stay here.

Thinking this, Fang Zheng had nothing more to say. Just as he was about to end their lives, Parasite suddenly came hopping over again and squeaked at him. Although Fang Zheng could not understand what it was saying, he understood its meaning.

"You want to absorb their biological energy?"

Hearing Parasite's request, Fang Zheng froze for a moment. He looked at the thugs struggling desperately in midair, locked in place by Psionic power. After thinking for a while, he nodded.

"All right... Remember, make it quick."

"Squeak, squeak!!"

Hearing Fang Zheng's answer, Parasite squeaked happily. Then it turned around and hopped toward the thugs in the distance. At the same time, Fang Zheng waved his right hand and released the Psionic lock. The thugs crashed heavily onto the ground.

"Hah... hah..."

The thug boss gasped heavily. Every part of his body hurt terribly, and he had no idea what had just happened. All he knew was that an invisible hand had gripped his throat and lifted him into the air. No matter how hard he struggled, it had been useless. He even felt that if it had lasted a little longer, he would have suffocated to death!

"Squeak!"

At that moment, a strange cry suddenly sounded beside the thug boss's ear. He instinctively turned his head, wanting to see what had made the sound. At the exact moment he turned, he saw a black shadow leap up beside him and pounce onto his body.

"WAAAAAAAH!!"

A continuous stream of screams echoed through the forest before fading away. After a while, silence returned once more.

"..."

Looking at the mangled limbs and flesh scattered across the ground, Fang Zheng shook his head. These people truly were examples of courting death. He had not expected them to secretly follow him and seek revenge, but now they no longer needed to worry about how to take revenge.

Fang Zheng did not dwell on it any further. They were already dead. Though he felt a little sorry about it, what was done was done. After all, they had made the first move. His gaze soon shifted to an Egg nearby, one as tall as a person. It was the Egg that Parasite had turned into. After absorbing the thugs' life energy, Parasite had transformed into an Egg, gradually growing until it became what it was now. Fang Zheng had no idea how long it would take for the Egg to hatch. After all, reality and games were different, weren't they?

Second by second, the Egg before Fang Zheng's eyes began changing rapidly. At first, it looked like an opaque, oval balloon. As time passed, it grew larger and larger, while the inside gradually brightened. He could clearly see the shape of an insect swimming within it. Soon after, the insect's body slowly began to change and grow larger. The color within the Egg also gradually darkened and turned murky.

The enormous Egg began to tremble slightly. Then its sides started to deform. With a Pop, the entire Egg burst apart like an overinflated balloon. Immediately afterward, a tall figure emerged from within and appeared before Fang Zheng.

It was a Zerg Queen.

However, unlike the Zerg Queens Fang Zheng knew, this one looked more delicate and refined. Her upper body resembled that of a human woman, while below the waist, she did not have the spider-like form common in games. Perhaps because Fang Zheng had initially placed Parasite on a deer, her lower body instead had the form of a deer.

"Master..."

The Zerg Queen came before Fang Zheng and respectfully lowered her head. Fang Zheng noticed that her hair was also made up of strands like Kerrigan's. Still, he had to admit that she was not unpleasant to look at. Although she differed slightly from humans, she possessed a distinctive charm.

Hmm... According to Zerg customs, he should give her a name now...

Recalling the information about Kerrigan in his mind, Fang Zheng thought for a moment. Then he smiled slightly and looked at the Zerg Queen before him.

"All right. From today onward, your name will be Milune."