Essay

Essay

This was probably the second most unforgettable night of Bai Qing's life, surpassed only by the nightmare not long ago.

When nothing but crackling static remained in her earpiece, the panic in Bai Qing's heart climbed to its peak. Though she repeatedly told herself to stay calm, terrible thoughts kept flooding her mind.

What exactly had happened in Workshop No. 3?

Had Zhang Heng run into some danger?

Had he been discovered? Captured by those things? Would they kill him?

Bai Qing wished she could rush into the glass factory immediately, but reason told her that following Zhang Heng's instructions and staying in the car was the best choice.

Even Bai Qing herself did not know how she had endured those six minutes.

Every second was torture for her. Only when the crackling in her earpiece vanished, their connection was restored, and that familiar voice came through again did she finally feel relieved.

"I'm out," Zhang Heng said. "There was no signal down there."

"It's good that you're okay. Did you find anything?" Bai Qing asked curiously after steadying herself.

"I think I've figured out how those things replaced the people around them and infiltrated human society, including how they reproduce and parasitize others," Zhang Heng said after a pause. "And I think the missing people may not be beyond hope."

"Huh?" Bai Qing was overjoyed. "Are you saying my mom may still be alive?"

"Yes," Zhang Heng said. "They can't directly inherit their targets' memories. In that sense, a living target—or at least one alive during the early stages—is more useful to them. They can obtain more information from the target, including their relationships, habits, and so on. But your mother's situation is rather unusual. The thing impersonating your mother chose to kill itself in order to send