Catch-22 of Chapter 97

Back in the classroom, the students looked at each other, each feeling unsafe with their deskmate and wishing they could keep a meter's distance.

But the classroom space is only so big. If you avoid the one on the left, you'll end up with your face pressed against the one on the right.

Even the new class beauty, Sun Li, isn't as sought after anymore.

"It seems that the biggest threat from this parasite is interpersonal relationships."

"Does that mean Sun Li, this cultivation girl, will have no suitors?" Mao Jian asked.

"You don't really want to be the one left holding the bag, do you?"

Mao Jian chuckled, "If she's willing to marry me, I'd be more than happy. She's stronger and richer than me. With my qualifications, I couldn't possibly sleep with such a beautiful girl. It's a win-win situation."

"Brothers are magnanimous."

"It's not about being generous, it's about calculation. Sleeping with her once will cost you tens of thousands of dollars, but marrying her and sleeping with her a thousand times would be tens of millions. It's an absolute steal, isn't it?"

Yang Ding was speechless.

Mao Jian became more and more excited as he spoke, and couldn't help but feel eager to try it out, slowly moving closer to Sun Li beside him.

"roll!"

"Okay."

Mao Jian had no choice but to move back, his smile revealing a sense of helplessness at not being able to have the beautiful woman he desired.

Counselor Zhang Peng strode in and tapped on the table.

"Quiet, quiet. I have something to announce, about Parasyte. Listen carefully."

"Starting tomorrow night, all students from the Martial Arts Academy and the Supernatural Abilities Academy of Gangneung University will participate in the citywide manhunt."

Mao Jian raised his hand. "Counselor, how do we capture the parasites?"

"Knocking on doors and taking temperatures, those who have been parasitized have no body temperature because they are already dead."

"With a population of 2000 million, do we need to test everyone?" Sun Li asked.

"That's right, and it will continue until the end of the year. There will be at least three to five rounds of screening. If the parasites are not eliminated, all the ability users in Jiangling City will be in danger. The more energy they absorb, the stronger their mental power becomes, until humans can no longer compete with them."

Yang Ding raised his hand. "Counselor, is there any activity subsidy this time?"

"Of course, students in Class D receive a subsidy of 50 yuan per night, Class C students receive 100 yuan per night, Class B students receive 200 yuan per night, and Class A students receive 400 yuan per night."

"Furthermore, whoever kills the parasitic beast gets the beast crystal, provided you have the fate and the ability to do so."

Although even the worst beast crystals start at tens of thousands of yuan, it's just too dangerous.

Once infected, the brain is devoured by the parasite, turning the person into a living dead.

To conceal its identity, it will return to its host's home to live, sleep with your wife, and even parasitize your children.

Mao Jian, however, was eager to get started. "Counselor, how are we grouped? Will we still be by class?"

"You will form your own teams this time, at your own risk. The minimum number of people is ten. Once you have formed your teams, go to the school's law enforcement team to pick up the forehead thermometers."

"Okay, the rest is up to class monitor Yang Ding to arrange."

The counselor left after giving the instructions.

As the class monitor, Yang Ding had a proven track record of leading the team, and with two beauties, Sun Li and Huang Bingbing, his team naturally attracted many classmates to join him.

"Don't rush, don't rush, my brother Ding has something to say."

"If you want to join my team, you must accept my conditions," Yang Ding said.

"What are the conditions?"

I'll take half of the beast crystals the team gets.

"That's not fair. Aside from beast crystals, the subsidy isn't much money at all."

"There's no other way. My second wife needs beast crystals to cultivate her spatial abilities. If you don't agree, then find someone else to team up with."

The students in Class B all had a high opinion of themselves and naturally would not accept this condition.

"Everyone says you, Captain Yang, are righteous, but I think you're nothing special."

Mao Jian jumped up and roared, "Foolish! Staying with my brother means survival, that's more important than anything else. What's wrong with my brother getting 50% of the beast crystals? If we encounter a master who's been parasitized, are you going to let you fight them?"

"He was promoted from Class C, so his cultivation level may not be as high as ours."

Mao Jian pushed Huang Bingbing forward, "If you've got the guts, fight my brother's female apprentice one-on-one, and see who still wants to be a eunuch."

Huang Bingbing tapped her twin pistols together. "Come on, let's castrate who first?"

Naturally, no one dared to challenge her. Even Ma Shanfeng, who had the highest cultivation level, was no match for her, let alone anyone else.

"Forget it, let's team up with the old squad leader instead."

"As you see fit."

Most people left, but seven people from relatively well-off families were willing to team up with Yang Ding to save their lives, since there were at least two experts in the team.

After all the students had formed teams, Yang Ding asked Mao Jian and Sun Li to compile the lists and send them to the school's law enforcement team office.

They brought back eight forehead thermometers, one for each team.

Yang Ding walked up to the podium, knocked on the table, and said, "Quiet down, all of you."

"Based on my understanding of Chief Executive Zhou of the Law Enforcement Bureau, she might offer a bounty when the situation becomes dire, and the amount would be substantial. I earned 300 million with Class C2 during the anti-ghost operation."

"Therefore, I require the class teams to work together."

"Class monitor, what is class collaboration?" Mao Jian chimed in, trying to be the straight man.

"The so-called class collaboration means that we have to go together to get the tasks every day, find out which building each group is responsible for taking temperatures in, and if any group is hunting parasites, as long as there are any members of our class nearby, they have to participate in the hunt."

"This way we'll form a network that prevents other classes from taking advantage."

"Beast crystals captured through collaboration will be added to the class reward pool and then split equally with the prize money. Those who are not proactive in cooperating may be kicked out of the team at any time."

The students thought Yang Ding was feeling guilty and wanted to use them for his own purposes.

"With Class A in the mix, and us being Class B at the bottom, there's no way we can win the championship. There's no need for a collaboration."

"How will you know if you don't try?"

"Squad Leader Yang, you're new here and don't know our Class B22."

Yang Ding looked at the classmate and said coldly, "This is not a suggestion, but an order. If you're not happy about it, you can take me down from my position as class monitor right now."

The student was so frightened that he never dared to utter another word.

"I'm giving you an operation code name: Catch-22. When you hear someone shouting this, provide immediate support."

Mao Jian clapped enthusiastically, "Let's applaud our squad leader! With him leading us in battle, we're sure to win!"

The students in Class 22 were only a little afraid of Huang Bingbing and did not respect Yang Ding, so their clapping was half-hearted.

Yang Ding wasn't in a hurry. He just needed the instructions to be conveyed properly, and he could establish his authority as he went along.

When I went to the Class B cafeteria for lunch, tens of thousands of people were talking about Parasyte.

"This time, both freshmen and seniors, both Class A and Class B, will be dispatched because the enforcement team is short-handed."

"Screening 2000 million people, and then several more times, is indeed a huge workload."

"What if I'm unlucky and get attacked by a parasite as soon as I open the door?"

"Then your teammates will chop you into mincemeat and take out the beast crystal."

Including the seven new students who joined today, Yang Ding's team has a total of 11 people.

Everyone sits at the same table to eat, building familiarity and trust.

"Captain Yang, even the seniors are going to take the exam, do we still have a chance?"

"Those with high cultivation levels all joined the army, so there aren't many left," Yang Ding replied.

"It would be great if we had a few superpowered experts in our team, otherwise, if we encounter a fire-type or metal-type host, would we even have a chance to survive?" Mao Jian asked.