AHEIAID Chapter 2: Mom, I Saw an Alien!
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Joey clutched the collar of his clothes tightly, fanning himself repeatedly.
He was drenched in sweat, his soft black hair sticking to his forehead like he'd just been pulled out of the water.
The climate here was unbearably harsh for a modern human like him. The air was damp and heavy, making him feel like even breathing would drown his lungs.
His thick coral fleece pajamas clung to his skin, heavy and soaked, causing unbearable discomfort.
But if he took off his pajamas and walked outside his leaf shelter, his skin would turn red and itchy within moments, eventually peeling off.
Having a layer of clothing at least helped keep many insects and the sharp, serrated grass blades at bay.
So no matter how hot it was, he had to endure it.
"I wonder if there are any natives around here. If there are, there must be tribes and safe places for humans to rest."
Joey muttered to himself, lying in his small shelter, carefully prying open a gap in the leaves to peer down.
Beneath the tree he had taken shelter in, the remains of a frog left behind by a giant, long-haired rabbit lay rotting. The large snakes weren’t interested in the scraps, but the insects were overjoyed.
Venomous ants with massive mandibles were gathering, and some strange creatures were already climbing up the tree. If they discovered him...
Joey swallowed hard, already picturing himself being torn into tiny pieces and carried off to an ant nest.
Crap, I need to get out of here fast!
He quickly withdrew his gaze, wiped away the sweat, and pressed his pale lips together before starting to rip his clothes.
He needed a piece of cloth to cover his mouth.
He had seen it on TV before.
In many parts of the rainforest, the air was filled with fungal spores and toxic gases from rotting plants and animals. Inhaling them could cause infections, and having them come into direct contact with human skin often led to allergic reactions.
Some were even hallucinogenic.
With no other options, the only thing he could do was tear a piece of his pajamas and use the damp fabric as a makeshift filter.
However, fabric wasn’t that easy to rip apart.
Luckily, his cheaply made pajamas already had loose stitching, so he was able to tear off one of the pockets.
"Thank you, $29.99 free shipping coral fleece pajamas!"
Being broke just saved his life.
Joey happily covered his mouth with the fabric, then crawled out of his leaf shelter, dragging his slippers with him. He carefully maneuvered to the other side of the tree, squeezing through the clustered leaves and slowly climbing down.
Once on the ground, he quickly moved away from the patch of grass where the frog carcass lay, stumbling off in a random direction.
Coincidentally, that direction was the same one where the Ottoman Exploration Team was heading...
No one could truly describe what Earth meant to the Ottomans.
But if they had to, they would say—paradise.
The Ottomans revered humanity.
They firmly believed that human blood flowed through their veins, that their ancestral planet—Earth—was their true homeland.
They believed that when they died, their souls would return to this sacred place, where all wounds and sins would be washed away. They would soar over the boundless blue oceans and lush wildlands, finally reaching the towering divine temples, attaining eternal salvation and bliss.
And humans?
They weren’t just their ancestors. They were the ancient civilization that once lived in paradise—the beloved children of the gods.
Their longing for Earth was ingrained in their very bones.
That’s why they had invested immense amounts of time, effort, and money into exploring their ancestral planet—a grand, empire-wide live-streamed event.
The audience in the live-stream chat was going wild with excitement.
The biological exploration team knew how to keep the viewers entertained. They would occasionally part some leaves, examine small insects, or send floating cameras to capture harmless creatures munching on foliage.
Everything was fresh and thrilling.
Even a single blade of grass could make the audience scream in delight.
Amidst this almost cheerful sightseeing tour, the team marched forward for about three hours before choosing a spot to rest.
"Although it’s only 5 PM right now, the forest blocks out most of the sunlight. At this hour, it might as well be nighttime," said Pasha, showing the audience how quickly the surroundings were darkening.
"We’ll rest here for the night."
Live-stream chat: No, no, no! Why are you stopping so soon? We haven’t seen enough! Don’t stop!
Pasha chuckled and winked. "It won’t be boring, I promise. Nighttime is when the real hunters come out to play. Just wait and see."
The viewers reluctantly calmed down, eagerly awaiting the nightfall.
Not far from them, Joey was having a much worse time.
After dragging his weak, gamer-body for about four kilometers, sweating so much that his pajamas were completely soaked, Joey was mumbling complaints to the sky.
"Fine! If you’re not giving me a system, then don’t! But if you do, it better not be some useless garbage!"
He angrily pushed aside a large leaf—
—only to lock eyes with a giant centipede straight out of Resident Evil.
And it wasn’t just big. Maybe because the jungle was uninhabited, everything here had evolved however the hell it wanted.
This thing stood as tall as a human, its grotesque head as ugly as possible. Countless legs wriggled beneath its segmented black-red exoskeleton, which shimmered with an eerie glow, radiating a disgusting, rotten stench.
The moment Joey saw it, every drop of sweat on his body instantly performed an electrifying disco dance.
This… this is what they call “falling before even setting off on the journey.”
This is what they mean by “heroes shedding tears of regret.”
Joey: …
Giant centipede: …
Joey: …
Giant centipede: …
"S-So… uh, h-hi? D-Do you eat meat? Haha… ha…?"
"SSSsssss——!"
"AAAAAAHHHHHHH——!!!"
The centipede reared up, opening its massive, horrifying mandibles. Joey screamed bloody murder, turned, and bolted!
The grass rustled violently behind him.
The sound made his legs weak, his scalp tingle.
He swore he had never run this fast in his entire life.
Serrated grass blades tore his pajamas to shreds, slicing fine cuts into his exposed skin. He didn’t care—he just protected his face and sprinted for dear life.
His vision darkened, the world blurred around him. His chest felt like it was going to explode, his lungs burning, his nose filled with the metallic taste of blood.
Suddenly—
BOOM!
A massive, shadowy figure descended from the sky with a deafening sonic boom!
The shockwave alone sent Joey flying, tumbling across the ground before slamming into a small tree.
Dazed, he looked up just in time to see the enormous creature soaring away.
Its massive talons clutched a squirming centipede.
"Huff… huff…"
Joey gasped for air, clutching his aching chest. His ears rang with his own heartbeat.
His vision blurred.
He felt like he was about to black out—
Then he heard voices.
At first, he thought he was hallucinating.
But then—he snapped awake.
No. This wasn’t an illusion. Someone was really there!
Joy surged through him as he coughed and struggled to sit up. His slippers were long gone, but he didn’t care—he crawled forward and clung to the edge of the hill, looking down.
From this vantage point, he could clearly see them approaching.
His smile froze.
His excitement turned to cold dread.
The figures drawing closer were tall.
Men stood at least 2.4 meters. Women were at least 2 meters.
They had sharp, elf-like ears, platinum or auburn curls, and Western-like features.
Long limbs. Broad shoulders. Slim waists.
They wore tight, high-tech bodysuits.
Their muscles were sleek yet powerful—like predatory big cats.
And their eyes…
Their gold-green vertical pupils, ringed with a faint red glow…
No human had eyes like that.
Joey’s mind went blank.
T/N: Please give support on my ko-fi page, thank you🍊🍊🍊
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