Chapter 73. Civil War (15) – The Parasites' Mass Surrender
18 hours after the acting prime minister's declaration of a national emergency. That meant parasite hunts had begun across the nation 17 hours and 30 minutes ago.
"Did I just hear that wrong?"
"You heard correctly, Deputy Director. Parasite groups nationwide have simultaneously declared surrender. Depending on the region, more are surrendering in real time even now."
"Surrender?Those things?"
In a situation no one could have anticipated, Jason's mind went blank. Parasites surrendering? Was that even possible?
Then—ah—he sighed in realization. These things had intelligence rivaling or surpassing humans. If they possessed survival instincts, surrendering when cornered wasn't so strange.
What made their surrender feel so alien was that he'd only ever seen them massacred by David Min without a chance to surrender. No one had prepared a scenario for mass surrender.
"Would you like to review the surrender declarations sent by the parasite groups?"
"Hand them over."
Declarations from surrendering parasite groups in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, and elsewhere were forwarded to Jason. Though worded differently, the core message was similar:
We were defeated the moment we were exposed. Our countermeasure—the blue drug factory—was destroyed, cutting off supply. Rather than resist pointlessly and face annihilation, we beg for a shred of mercy. If even some of us can survive, we'll accept any conditions.
'A deception?'
Given their cunning nature, suspicion arose immediately. Was this a delaying tactic? Did they have another countermeasure hidden? His head throbbed with heat.
"Recite the current casualty report."
"Confirmed casualties so far... In the last 18 hours, around twenty agents from the Secret Intelligence Agency, plus over a thousand from Security Intelligence, police, and military combined. Actual losses are estimated to exceed that by a hundredfold."
"Hoo..."
He'd expected heavy losses, but not like this. These were only combat casualties. Civilian victims from blue drug dispersal hadn't even been tallied yet.
If they ignored the surrender and pressed on, the parasites would fight to the last, potentially pushing human casualties into the millions.
Jason groaned, stroking his beard, as every agent in the situation room watched his lips.
"Inform the parasite groups nationwide that we accept their surrender. Under local agent supervision, isolate them all in containment zones. If suitable zones are lacking, prioritize military deployment there for surveillance. To catch any escapees, mandate daily X-ray scans for all citizens. Parasites found outside zones can be executed on sight."
"We'll issue that as a provisional directive."
For now, this was the best course. Right?
Jason's head pounded. He just hoped they had no hidden abilities or tricks.
Still, if they could disarm and isolate every last one, the rest would be easy. Surrender or not, they'd shred the papers and exterminate them all. Non-humans had no rights or obligations.
But facilities for perfect isolation were scarce, and manpower to guard them even scarcer. It would take time to relax.
"D-Deputy Director."
"What?"
"Darwin requested troop support. Parasites approaching to surrender—tens of thousands."
"What?"
"Ah, the request's canceled. Resolved."
"Resolved how!?"
Tens of thousands surrendering? That meant at least a thousand troops to guard them.
But Darwin was parasite heaven, a blue drug hub where agents and police had been wiped out. 'Resolved'—what the hell?
"They executed them all, so no need for surrender now."
"Wha—fuck..."
He let out a disbelieving chuckle, then—ah, right—it clicked. Darwin had that man.
......
"Uh...?"
An incomprehensible scene unfolded before her eyes, and a dumbstruck voice escaped Yuri's lips.
Infected humans stood in perfect ranks, a deep pit they'd dug themselves before them. The front parasite knelt at the pit's edge as an executioner plunged a long blade into its eye socket, killing it. Squelch—scrape. Thoroughly scrambled brains ensured death; the limp corpse was shoved into the pit. The next stepped forward. Repeat infinitely.
How the hell did it come to this?
Yuri's mind replayed the recent exchange.
"We surrender! Please, just let us live!"
"No surrender. Go back."
"Unconditional surrender! Any demands—spare even some of us!"
"Then kill each other from now on."
"Kill each other?"
"Yeah. Leave exactly 300. Kill the rest."
"......"
A moment of silence. Cheol-woo had tossed it out casually. No way to manage that many prisoners—it was basically refusing surrender.
But the response was unexpected.
"Understood. We'll select 300 as demanded and execute the rest. In plain view of humans, to avoid misunderstanding."
"...?"
Then they dug with shovels, picked 300, and the rest lined up orderly—leading to now.
No objections or escapes. They yielded their lives meekly.
Stomach churning at the bizarre sight, Yuri turned and dry-heaved.
"Urk..."
Intelligent, yes—but utterly unlike humans. No emotions, faint individualism. For the group's survival and prosperity, individuals sacrificed without hesitation. To Yuri, they resembled ants more than people.
"You lot—how many are there exactly?"
"Around a hundred thousand total."
"......"
Cheol-woo's words failed him at the 'representative' parasite's answer. A hundred thousand—70% of Darwin's population. Damn thorough infection.
"Kinda awkward asking after ordering the deaths, but... why accept it without resistance?"
"No other way to save even 300. We could attack you and the bunker, but the incoming army would crush us. Better some survive than all die in a hopeless fight. That was the judgment."
"Why believe we'll spare the 300?"
"You demanded reduction because our numbers feel threatening. Humans are swayed by curiosity. Once few enough to pose no threat, you won't bother exterminating us. I trust your endless inquisitiveness."
"......"
Cheol-woo smacked his lips, unease plain. If it were up to him, he'd burn every parasite in Australia without exception. But not all humans were like him.
The Australian government would surely spare some for labs or max-security prisons. Human nature, cursed with curiosity.
Of course, as intelligent life from beyond the rifts, the intel they held was invaluable. Risky, but worth keeping some alive.
"One more thing."
"Ask. I'll answer truthfully."
"You could've all emergency-evacuated to the sea. Why surrender to me? Your true forms survive long without food or oxygen, even submerge. Infect fish, live free."
"......"
The parasite 'representative' hesitated for the first time, lips twitching before speaking.
"Our intelligence depends heavily on the host's. Alone, we're instinct-driven. In animals, animal-level smarts; in humans, human-level. Before high-intelligence hosts, we never even realized our own dimness. But once we've parasitized something like a human, we can never go back."
"What the hell does that mean?"
"Imagine your mind trapped in a pig's body. How horrific, suffocating. Same for us. If you ask what use intelligence is in captivity, I'd say stupidity is greater unfreedom. Better confined high-being than free brute."
"......"
He half-grasped it, half-didn't.
"Humans, born as high-beings, will never understand us."
"......"
Infuriating bastards, the way they phrased it.