102: Chapter 102 The First Battle of the Parasite

The mad plan in Dr. Park's mind was like the parasite just implanted into "Butcher's" body; it began to take root and sprout at an alarming speed, drawing from the deep-seated ambition within him and expanding frantically.

He, James Park, wanted to establish a kingdom of his own right here, in this jungle forgotten by civilization.

Once this thought appeared, it could no longer be suppressed.

A few days later, an opportunity presented itself.

"Doctor! Doctor! Something's happened!"

A security guard rushed into the command tent, face drenched in sweat, forgetting even the basic etiquette of reporting.

Jonathan grabbed him by the collar and barked in a low voice, "What are you shouting for? Can't you see the Doctor is working?"

The security guard panted heavily, pointing outside. "Captain Jonathan... our supply line, route C-3, was hijacked! It was the 'Scorpion' gang! We lost a whole truck of precision instruments and two of our brothers..."

"What?" Jonathan's face darkened instantly. He let go, grabbed an assault rifle from the table, and checked the magazine. "Damn it, those bastards must be tired of living. Notify Squads Two and Three to come with me! I'm going to beat the crap out of them!"

"Wait."

A cold voice stopped him.

Jonathan turned back and saw Dr. Park slowly standing up from the screens piled with data. He still looked refined and scholarly, but the look in his eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses made even a veteran like Jonathan feel a sudden pang of fear.

"Captain Jonathan, there's no need for such trouble." Dr. Park unhurriedly took off his glasses and wiped them with a piece of velvet. "As it happens, I need to conduct a field test."

"A test?" Jonathan frowned. "Doctor, this isn't like messing around with lab rats in a laboratory; outside, it's a firefight with live ammunition! The 'Scorpion' gang has over thirty people, and every one of them is a desperate outlaw."

"I am well aware of that." Dr. Park put his glasses back on, the lenses reflecting the cold light of the monitoring screens. "That's why this is the most valuable test."

He walked to a corner of the tent where the man codenamed "Butcher" stood as silently as a statue. In the past few days, Dr. Park had given him a new codename—"Alpha."

"Alpha," Dr. Park called softly.

"Master."

"Alpha" immediately knelt on one knee, head bowed low in a posture of extreme respect.

Dr. Park ignored the dumbfounded stares of Jonathan and the security guard, continuing to issue orders in a steady tone. "There is a group of 'trash' outside who stole our things. I want you to take those five workers, bring back the items intact, and then clear out all the 'trash'."

"As you command." Alpha's voice was raspy and steady, devoid of any emotion.

"Doctor, have you lost your mind?" Jonathan finally couldn't help but interject. "Sending just the six of them? To deal with over thirty armed drug traffickers? Isn't that just sending them to their deaths?"

Dr. Park turned his head, looked at Jonathan, and revealed a cryptic smile. "To their deaths? I don't think so, Jonathan."

He clapped his hands, and an assistant immediately understood, handing Alpha a set of tactical gear, a sharpened military dagger, and an M9 Pistol.

Alpha skillfully donned the gear, slotted the dagger into his tactical vest, and tucked the pistol behind his waist.

Next, he turned toward the five workers who had also been implanted with parasites. Those five hollow-eyed men seemed to receive some invisible command the moment Alpha walked in front of them, and they all stood up straight in unison.

Alpha didn't speak; he simply scanned them with eyes that flickered with a cunning glint, then turned and left.

The five workers immediately picked up their weapons and followed behind him, their movements synchronized like a well-trained squad.

Jonathan watched in disbelief, muttering to himself, "This... how is this possible? He... he can command them?"

"A Dominant Placa must, naturally, be able to dominate. Come, Captain Jonathan, let us enjoy this debut together."

...

Inside the command tent, a massive monitoring screen displayed real-time footage sent back by a small drone.

In the footage, in a clearing surrounded by jungle, over a dozen drug traffickers were surrounding a truck, excitedly moving crates while cursing and occasionally breaking into laughter. In the surrounding woods, another dozen or so sentries stood with AKs, their expressions alert yet tinged with a hint of slackness.

"That's the place." Jonathan pointed at the screen, gritting his teeth. "Damn it, those idiots don't even know how to open the crates."

Dr. Park ignored him, simply watching the screen in silence.

Suddenly, there was movement at the edge of the frame.

Two workers holding guns walked brazenly out of the woods, launching a direct charge toward the drug traffickers.

"What the hell! What are they doing!" Jonathan cried out.

Sure enough, after a brief moment of shock, the drug traffickers reacted immediately.

Rat-tat-tat-tat—!

Dense tongues of fire instantly erupted from all directions. Mists of blood burst from the two workers' bodies, and in the blink of an eye, they were riddled with holes and collapsed to the ground.

"Damn! I knew it!" Jonathan slammed his fist on the table. "Doctor, you—"

Before he could finish, the sight on the screen caused the words to catch in his throat.

The two "workers" who had fallen began to twitch, and then they actually wobbled back onto their feet!

Even more terrifying, the head of one worker, after taking a few more shots, burst open with a 'pop' like a overripe watermelon!

There was no spray of brains or blood.

What emerged from his neck cavity was the main body of a parasite, covered in slime and with a tip that split open like petals! The thing let out a shrill shriek and lashed out like a long whip, directly wrapping around the neck of the nearest drug trafficker!

"Agh—!"

A scream came through the drone's microphone as the trafficker was violently dragged down. The parasite's "petals" snapped shut, biting right through his carotid artery!

All the drug traffickers were stunned, momentarily forgetting to fire.

In that instant, the slaughter began.

A dark shadow darted out from the bushes behind and to the side of the traffickers like a phantom.

It was Alpha!

With the dagger in hand, his movements were incredibly fast.

Pfft!

The first sentry didn't even have time to react before his throat was sliced open from back to front, blood spraying high.

Alpha didn't even give him a second look. He crouched low to dodge a panicked spray of bullets from another man, then lunged forward like a leopard. He covered the man's mouth with his left hand and, with a reverse grip on the dagger in his right, cleanly stabbed it up through the jaw and into the brain.

The entire process was silent and fluid.

The other three workers also closed in from different directions. They lacked Alpha's exquisite technique, but they were fearless and precise. They used their bodies to ram and block bullets, creating perfect attacking opportunities for Alpha.

In front of the screen, Jonathan was completely mesmerized.

He had been a soldier for over a decade and considered himself to have seen many elites, but the scene before him was entirely beyond his comprehension.

Alpha was like a god of death in the jungle. He could accurately predict every enemy firing position and blind spot. He used the terrain and his subordinates as bait; every time he struck, a life was inevitably taken.

In less than twenty minutes...

When the last drug trafficker was pinned under Alpha's foot and had his neck snapped while still alive, the entire battlefield fell silent.

Over thirty armed drug traffickers were wiped out.

Under the drone's lens, Alpha slowly stood up, covered in the blood of his enemies. He walked to the body of the leader known as "Scorpion," severed his head with a single stroke, and then, carrying the head and leading the five "workers"—who were missing limbs but still mobile—began silently loading the supplies back onto the truck.

Jonathan stood with his mouth agape, sweat pouring down his forehead, feeling as if his throat were so dry it might start smoking.

He looked at Dr. Park beside him. This man, who had previously seemed like just a somewhat nerdy scientist, now filled him with a soul-deep dread.

He hadn't created puppets.

He had created a demonic army that was absolutely loyal, felt no pain, knew no fear, and... possessed tactical intelligence.

A few minutes later, Alpha's squad returned to the base.

Alpha walked up to Dr. Park, knelt on one knee again, and held the still-dripping head high with both hands, respectfully placing it at Dr. Park's feet.

"Master, mission accomplished."

Dr. Park looked down at the face distorted by extreme terror at his feet, then looked up at Jonathan's face, which was as white as paper.

An unprecedented thrill, a mixture of power and creation, made every cell in his body tremble.

His kingdom had seen its first glorious victory.

And this was only the beginning.