The chapter begins with Reiko Tamura leaving the window, having found nothing suspicious about Zhao Xuan. Relieved, Zhao Xuan returns to his anxious thoughts about completing his mission.
The Allure and Danger of Survival
During the lunch break, a short-haired girl with glasses named Yūko Tachikawa (立川裕子) approaches him, nervously handing him a letter sealed with a pink heart sticker—a love letter.
Zhao Xuan, however, is preoccupied with his life-or-death situation and tosses the "boring" letter into his drawer.
He dismisses the option of simply isolating himself in his rented apartment for six months, realizing that being alone is the most dangerous scenario. He concludes his best bet for survival (Mission 1) is to remain in public places, as Parasytes rarely attack humans when witnesses are present. However, he also acknowledges that public places, like the school, are not completely safe, especially since this world might have unexpected "surprises" added by the "System" to increase the mission difficulty.
A Fateful Walk Home
After school, Zhao Xuan sees Yūko Tachikawa and, to her surprise, calls her by her first name and asks if she wants to walk home together.
Yūko is thrilled, misinterpreting the invitation as a positive response to her feelings. Zhao Xuan internally realizes his casual use of her first name, which implies intimacy in Japan, may have caused a misunderstanding.
His true motivation for the invitation is purely selfish and survival-based:
"If I encounter a man-eating monster, I don't need to run faster than the monster; I just need to run faster than this human shield in front of me!"
As they walk, Yūko relaxes and begins to talk about herself, mentioning her passion for art and sketching as part of the Art Club.
The Chemistry Solution
The mention of the Art Club triggers a sudden realization in Zhao Xuan:
In the Parasyte movie, the Parasyte Hideo Shimada was invited to the Art Club as a model.
Shimada's identity was exposed there, leading to a school massacre.
During that confrontation, the female protagonist, Satomi Murano, throws a bottle of acidic corrosive solution at Shimada's head.
The acid severely damages Shimada's head, significantly contributing to the protagonist Shinichi Izumi's later victory.
The key is the acid (sulfuric acid)!
Zhao Xuan's mind races: he can secure a weapon to complete Mission 2 (Kill a Parasyte) or, at least, create an escape tool.
"That's right! The school has a Chemistry Lab! Why can't I prepare some concentrated sulfuric acid beforehand?! I'll seal it in a glass bottle, and when the time comes, I'll smash it on a Parasyte's head. Even if it doesn't kill the Parasyte, it will buy me valuable time to escape!"
Excited, Zhao Xuan grabs Yūko by the shoulders, thanking her enthusiastically for the "reminder."
He then abruptly asks Yūko a strange question: "Do you know if the school has a Chemistry Club? Can you take me to join it?"
Though confused by the sudden change, Yūko agrees. Zhao Xuan grabs her hand, and they run back toward the school, leaving Yūko happy and flustered by the physical contact.
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