The Scum Is A ***

"Then… then this… this…" You Rou stammered as her face paled in horror.

"I still haven't finished my story." Cheng Sheng spoke. "There is a continuation." He told them.

They all turned to him.

"After that man died, I went to those yet-to-become victims." Cheng Sheng said and refilled his cup before he took a snack and ate it. "I asked them if they felt their heads are aching and they were shocked because I was right. So, I told them that I was a doctor and I asked them if they trust me to open their heads." He said.

Jing Kang, Lei Ling and You Rou. "…" who would entrust their lives to a stranger?! And which strange would ask the others for him to open their heads just on their first meeting?! They thought and held themselves back not to curse because of the strange way Cheng Sheng's mind is working.

Cheng Sheng acted like he didn't see their expressions. "As you have expected, they rejected me." He calmly continued. "I don't like nonsense, so I told them about the carnivorous worm and showed to them its owner. Heh." He suddenly grinned.

Their faces were covered in dark lines. They can tell that Cheng Sheng was recalling those people's horrified expressions.

"After I asked them if they have offended anyone, they answered that they did." Cheng Sheng spoke. "Finally, someone braver in their family and was the most horrified… well, how can he not be horrified? He was the one who offended someone." He grimly chuckled. "So, I cut his head open and then took out those eggs, which I showed the family… still soaked with some liquids… hehehe." He laughed.

They can't help but rub their arms when they felt a chill in their spine and goosebumps appeared on their skin after they heard Cheng Sheng's sinister laugh.

"Ehem." Cheng Sheng coughed as he recovered his expression. "So, they finally let me open their heads and remove the eggs." He continued. "Of course… I didn't forget to have them pay me, and double the amount because they doubted me. They are wealthy anyway." He shrugged.

Jing Kang, Lei Ling and You Rou. "…" well, that's a profiteer for you. They thought.

"They didn't doubt that it might be plotted by you?" Jing Kang can't help but ask.

"Of course they doubted me." Cheng Sheng answered. "So, I told them for them to suit themselves. I don't even know them and that it already came out from their family member's mouth that he had offended someone. They were also scared that I might leave so they finally believed me." He explained.

Jing Kang, Lei Ling and You Rou. "…" well, he wasn't wrong, though. But, still… so bold to threaten them… they thought and admitted defeat to Cheng Sheng's shamelessness… ehem, boldness.

Cheng Sheng acted as if he didn't see through their thoughts. "So, then, I found out something." He spoke.

"What is it?" Lei Ling eagerly asked.

"Those eggs died." Cheng Sheng answered.

"Why?" Jing Kang asked. "If there were eggs inside those deceased victims' heads, the eggs now have hatched." He said.

"They hatched, because they have been 'fed'." Cheng Sheng spoke.

Jing Kang fell silent.

"Huh? What does Cheng-shixiong mean?" You Rou asked, confused. Lei Ling was also confused.

"The eggs are parasites. They grow if they were 'fed'." Cheng Sheng answered, then made a pause. "Of course, not voluntarily fed, since their host doesn't know that they are actually 'feeding' it. They would only feel pain as the eggs eat inside their brain." He explained. "Then, when the eggs finally hatched, they ate everything inside their host's skull." He looked at them. "Of course, as those eggs grew, the host's brain also slowly stops functioning until it ceased functioning. Then, it was eaten in the end." He told them.

A long silence fell.

Cheng Sheng took his time drinking tea before he resumed speaking. "Now, let's talk about the carnivorous worm you found." He spoke.

They all stared at him.

"Did you finally notice something?" Cheng Sheng's lips curled up.

Jing Kang, Lei Ling and You Rou paused and looked at each other. Then, they finally looked at the box where the carnivorous worm with red string that Jing Kang found was contained. "… it stopped moving?" they said.

Cheng Sheng nodded. "It's dead." He told them.

"Huh?!" their eyes widened in shock. "'dead'? How?!" they asked.

"How can it die?" Jing Kang asked. "Isn't the carnivorous worm that you found is still alive?" he looked at him.

"Of course." Cheng Sheng nodded. "The difference between the two worms is that one's eggs weren't fed while the other's eggs were fed and even hatched." He said.

"Then, shouldn't the carnivorous worm that Jing Kang found should be alive?" Lei Ling asked. "Because they were fed, and even hatched." He added.

"It's the other way around." Cheng Sheng spoke. "Because is eggs were fed and even hatched is the reason why it died." He said. "How do you think its eggs are able to feed from their host? And how did they able to hatch?" he asked them.

"Eh? Now that you said it, it does seem strange." You Rou muttered. "Those eggs are, after all, inside the host's brain while the carnivorous worm is outside." She said.

"Its energy." Jing Kang spoke as he stared at Cheng Sheng. "It was remotely controlling them, and that was how it able to place its eggs inside the host's brain, so it is spending its energy." He said. "And the reason why it died is because it exhausted itself." He added.

"Yes. You are right." Cheng Sheng nodded, seeming pleased. "That's just half of the reason though." He said.

"'half'? Then, what is the other half?" Lei Ling asked.

"Because it failed to eat its eggs that have been fed." Cheng Sheng answered.

"Huh?"

"It managed to make its eggs feed from their host and finally hatch… how can it not reap what it sowed?" Cheng Sheng asked. "In order to take back its energy spent on those eggs, and with added energy from what they eaten from their host, the mother carnivorous worm has to eat its children." He explained. "But, since we found it, it failed to eat its children in the end, so…" he grinned as he tapped the box.

Jing Kang, Lei Ling and You Rou shivered in horror and moved away from the box. What's inside definitely is grotesque. Fortunately, Cheng Sheng has conscience and didn't let them see it.

"Meanwhile, the mother carnivorous worm that I found failed to have its eggs feed from their host." Cheng Sheng continued. "So, it lived while its eggs slowly died as their mothers got farther from them." He told them. "Thus, the carnivorous worm that I found lived while the carnivorous worm that you found died." He finished.

They all nodded. Now, they understood. "What about the worms that hatched from the eggs that were fed?" Jing Kang asked.

"Of course, they would die." Cheng Sheng answered. "Their purpose, after all, is to be eaten by their mother. That's why they were born by their mother." He sipped his tea. "Since they failed to do their purpose, the reason why they are alive also disappeared. So is their life." He clicked his tongue as if he was dismayed.

"So, that family… they died for nothing?" Lei Ling asked.

"You could say it this way." Cheng Sheng nodded.

They all heaved a sigh.

They all didn't notice that the corners of Cheng Sheng's lips rose again. "You seem to be forgetting two things to ask me." He 'kindly' reminded them.

"Huh?" they turned to him.

"Right!" Jing Kang's eyes flashed. "The owner of the worm… who is it?" he asked.

"Also!" Lei Ling spoke. "Why did they plant this worm?" he added.

"Good. You are catching up." Cheng Sheng smiled and clapped. "You are improving." He told them.

Jing Kang and Lei Ling. "…" we really don't feel flattered at all! They thought. 

"So?" Jing Kang asked.

"The family that I've saved before… they have offended someone so that's what happened to them." Cheng Sheng slowly spoke. "As to who they offended… who knows?" he asked.

"Huh? It wasn't that man that you found?" You Rou asked, surprised.

"No. Or else, no matter what he ended up, that family member should still have recognized him." Cheng Sheng answered.

"Then, why it was that man who 'punished' that family?" Jing Kang asked.

Cheng Sheng slowly grinned. "This is related to the second question." He spoke and looked at them three. "The purpose of this worm… do you still not know?" he asked them. Without waiting for them to answer, he continued. "It was to supplement what was the other is lacking." He told them.

"Huh?"

"In short – " Cheng Sheng's eyes flashed. " – the other who owns the worm is lacking something, so he used the carnivorous worm to fulfill what he lacks." He told them.