Fighting you is like being in jail.

However, plans can't keep up with changes. Just as Shinichi was about to skip get out of class and find an excuse to attend class, things changed.

"I am a new teacher, my name is Tamiya Ryoko."

Ryoko Tamiya stood on the podium with a blank expression and introduced herself to the students below. Others might have just thought she was indifferent because of her expressionless appearance, but Shinichi and Mickey recognized her at a glance.

"It's a parasite..."

"It's a parasite."

"Spicy Balls..."

"Well, it's over."

Shinichi and Mickey were both on the verge of losing their composure, with Shinichi even covering his face in despair.

Even Mickey, who has no emotions, is starting to feel overwhelmed by the current situation.

I really couldn't hold it in anymore.

They had to come at this exact moment, of all times. Neither Shinichi nor Mickey could hold back any longer, and they even started thinking about where to bury themselves.

Mickey never expected that the first emotion he would grasp would be so complex—an overwhelming sense of despair and helplessness.

Especially the trembling Goto Ichiri sitting next to her and the subtly scrutinizing Tamiya Ryoko Hikigaya.

Is there anything in the world more desperate than this?

No!

The next second, Tamiya Ryoko stared at Shinichi intently, scrutinizing him, before speaking:

"After class, Shinichi Izumi, come to my office."

Instantly, all the students in the class looked at Shinichi with curiosity, even Goto Ichiri and Hachiman looked over.

"..."

Okay, there are indeed things that are even more desperate.

Shinichi was so angry he wanted to sew Tamiya Ryoko's mouth shut; he'd never seen anyone so awful.

Destroy it quickly, we are tired.

Shinichi isn't the only one feeling mentally exhausted; Mickey feels the same way.

......

After class, in the office.

Ryoko Tamiya looked at Shinichi standing in front of her and, without hiding anything, spoke directly:

"It seems you know who I am, and I know who you are. However, I'm quite interested in your situation, as this is the first time I've met you. So, after school, let's exchange information and discuss future plans."

"

Shinichi's lips twitched; he really wanted to yell "Fuck you, you idiot!"

Mickey, however, opened his mouth and said seriously, "Do you know that someone is hunting us?"

"No, how so?" Tamiya Ryoko paused for a moment, then asked blankly.

“A couple of days ago, one of our kind approached and then disappeared; I assumed it was dead. Last night, another one approached and was killed right in front of us. I suggest we keep our distance; this world is not simple. There are not only ghouls, but also unknown monsters.”

"We are not the only ones hiding among humans."

Mickey's voice was solemn, and there was no intention of deception.

Ryoko Tamiya, who was sitting at the table, paused for a moment. "I understand."

“Goto Ichiri and Hachiman in your class are unknown, so be careful,” Mickey added.

“Goto Ichiri, Hikigaya Hachiman… I understand. We’ll continue with the details after school,” Tamiya Ryoko replied.

.....

After school, at the coffee shop.

Shinichi and Mickey sat in a booth early on, and soon after, Ryoko Amamiya walked in with a man.

The other person's identity was immediately confirmed, although they didn't seem very bright.

Mickey instantly entered battle mode, his right hand transforming into a blade, while the man's head split open and turned into tentacles.

Tamiya Yoshiko said calmly, "We have no need to fight."

“…”

“…”

After a moment of silence, both sides returned to normal.

After they were both seated, Ryoko Tamiya calmly said, "For research purposes, I mated with this Mr. A. I became pregnant, so guess what kind of child is in my belly—a human or a parasite?"

"..." Shinichi's pupils contracted, and he grinned, revealing sadness and dissatisfaction.

“Humans,” Mickey answered without hesitation.

“That’s right, it’s human,” Tamiya Ryoko said seriously.

Then she continued, "So I've been thinking about a question. We parasites can't reproduce, and we kill each other, so what is the meaning of our existence?"

“…”

"..."

Shinichi and Mickey paused, feeling hesitant and confused about the question.

The instinct of living beings is to reproduce and pass on their genes.

But what is the purpose of parasites, which cannot reproduce and only hunt their own kind?

“I don’t care about any of that,” Mr. A said blankly. “I only know that I eat when I’m hungry, and I eliminate anyone who gets in my way. There’s absolutely no need for an outcast like you to exist.”

"Are you going to make a move?" Mickey immediately became alert.

"waste time!"

Mr. A stood up abruptly, walked out without looking back, and gave no time to react.

After he left, Tamiya Ryoko picked up a spoon and looked at Shinichi intently.

"So, let's get back to our previous topic. Do you have any leads on the guy who hunted us?"

Mickey pondered for a moment and said, "Not yet, but we've already taken control of the strongholds on the Weizhong side. It's practically an unavoidable location; we have connections with the Hot Odd Supermarket, the Hot Odd Gang, and some people in the political world."

"Anything else?" Tamiya Ryoko paused, already understanding what was going on.

"We only know this much about ghouls for now. As for other unknown beings, we don't know much about them. We've only just come into contact with them."

"I see."

"I hope you can keep my relationship with Shinichi a secret."

"I try my best."

"It's best not to provoke what's hidden. Once we uncover it, things will be unstoppable, and it will be too easy for them to eliminate us."

They have been infiltrating longer and deeper than we have, and have even become completely integrated into humanity. Such an adversary is beyond our ability to resist.

"Hmm. So we're back to that question: what is the meaning of our existence?"

"I don't know. Perhaps it's best to learn more. The more you integrate into humanity, the clearer it will become. Otherwise, other creatures wouldn't be able to integrate. There must be some factors here that we don't know about."

"I see, I probably understand."

Tamiya Ryoko nodded thoughtfully. This information was extremely useful and might even make her change her plans.

If she hadn't listened to these words, she would have recklessly eliminated any unsettling factors around her, but now things are different; she has to consider the possibility of being exposed when she does things.

At the same time, he thought of another group of parasites that were hunting humans indiscriminately and had even set up a fixed cafeteria.

These people should not be contacted.

They are unaware of the monsters lurking among humanity, which may soon be wiped out.

Chapter 228 This world... is too terrifying.

Tamiya Ryoko realized the problem and said no more.

After leaving the coffee shop, I quietly returned to my rented room. Standing in front of the mirror, I looked at my expressionless face and made various expressions with my fingers. However, my eyes were devoid of any emotion and looked very fake.

But she couldn't see it.

"This world is more complex than we imagine. On the surface, there are no problems, but terrible monsters are lurking behind them."

She muttered to herself blankly, recalling the information Mickey had given her earlier.

The biggest problem is that she cannot understand the meaning of the parasites' existence. The moment she awakens, her instinct is to devour her own kind, but such an instinct has no meaning for survival.

It is even accelerating its own destruction.

Parasites are infertile and cannot reproduce; even their bodies are part of their own organisms.

It completely lacks the basic conditions for life, so in theory, parasites cannot be born under such circumstances.

But parasites were born.

This is too contradictory, and there is not even a point of contention.

"What exactly is the purpose of our existence, Parasites...?"

Tamiya Ryoko couldn't understand her situation and felt confused and bewildered.

After washing up, she slowly walked to the bedside, intending to go to sleep. But the moment she stepped into the bedroom, she paused, sensing a kindred spirit.

He turned to look at the source of the aura and began to analyze the situation.

"Moving very fast...approaching. No, this speed is—escaping?"

Tamiya Ryoko recalled the information Mickey had given her earlier: someone was hunting down the parasites.

Is it a ghoul? Or... unknown?

Her intense curiosity drove her to explore, even though it might be dangerous, but she didn't hesitate at all.

I quickly walked out of the rented room and approached the location of others like myself.

Just as they stepped onto the ground of the Intercepting Path, a cold wind blew over them, and the magnetic field of their kind disappeared.

"Disappeared? Died."

Tamiya Ryoko paused for a moment, but did not turn back. She headed towards the last place she felt she was in.

Walking into the dark alley, you can smell the blood in the air after just a few steps.

Then she saw a scene she could never forget.

Countless small animals, half black and half white, resembling both cats and dogs, were seen cleaning the ground and walls in the alleyway with special mops, brooms, buckets, and vacuum cleaners.

Each of them was a worker who was just like a human being, a truly hardworking and conscientious employee.

It is black and white hills, countless black and white hills.

But Tamiya Yoshiko didn't recognize her.

Tamiya Yoshiko couldn't understand what these things were, but one thing was certain: they were definitely unknown things hidden among humanity.

The next second, all the black and white hills stopped what they were doing, as if they had pressed pause.

Then, without making a sound, he looked up at Ryoko Tamiya, his scarlet eyes shining in the dark shadows.

Countless red dots, densely packed, were watching her.

In that instant, she understood something completely.

escape!

Tatata!

She turned and ran, her high heels clicking rapidly on the concrete. She was fast and did not reveal the parasite's abilities.

As for those cleaning the alleyways, Black and White Hill didn't care when Tamiya Ryoko ran away and continued cleaning with their heads down.

"Well, he's just an ordinary person, there's no need for him to do anything unnecessary."

"Anyway, no one would believe it if I told them."