Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: Mod7
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Chapter 5 - The Hunt
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A grotesque sound emanated from the hidden cave entrance.
A chilling cry that made me want to cover my ears…
It was them.
The flesh-lumps that had attacked the Paradise crew, the creatures responsible for the deaths of Dan and the rescue team.
I had experienced various forms of fear on this planet, but facing these monsters filled me with a primal dread unlike any other.
A learned helplessness, a deep-seated terror.
Their repulsive appearance, unlike the other females, triggered a visceral disgust within me.
“Why are they…”
A question arose.
While I knew they were nocturnal,
Their sudden appearance, their immediate pursuit after my encounter with the moon, wasn't a coincidence.
Grotesque creatures, crudely mimicking human forms.
They clawed and scraped at the thick cave entrance,
Desperate to drag me out.
Scratch- scrape- thud-
Fortunately, the cave entrance was made of solid rock.
Even their claw-tipped limbs, powerful weapons though they were, couldn't easily penetrate it.
“…”
They,
And Amy and I,
Recognized this, and a brief silence fell.
“He- help-”
Then, they changed their tactics.
Just like I had witnessed in the Paradise’s cockpit…
“Help me- Juho-”
But this time, they mimicked human speech, even calling out my name.
Their voices echoed in my ears, even with my hands covering them.
I huddled in the deepest part of the cave, curled up in a ball,
Praying they would give up and return to their lair.
“Juho- agh- Juho-”
“Hurt- hurt-”
Familiar voices.
I heard the voices of the Paradise crew, twisted and distorted by the creatures’ mimicry.
The resemblance was uncanny.
Listening to their cries, it felt like they were really there, begging for my help.
A simple imitation couldn't achieve such accuracy.
My mind conjured images of the other crew members, captured and tortured, their screams echoing in my ears.
These flesh-lumps had studied humans.
Just as I had dissected and analyzed other creatures, they had experimented on my crewmates, learning about our species.
“Ki- kill- kill me-”
Their mangled jaws trembled as they spoke, making their voices even more grotesque and disturbing. The sound alone was enough to drive me mad.
“That’s not Vergo, Vergo is already dead… don’t be fooled…”
I muttered reassurances to myself, but
“Pleeeeease-”
I couldn't bear their cries.
“Pleeeeease- someone- help- agh-”
Please stop.
Just stop it.
“Doctor.”
Amy’s voice cut through the cacophony of screams and sobs.
Amidst the echoing cries, her voice was clear and beautiful.
“Those are merely imitations of the crew’s voices. Do not be afraid.”
The words I had been desperately repeating to myself now came from Amy.
And strangely, her words, spoken with such calm assurance, had a profound effect, calming the fear and the swirling thoughts that my own frantic self-reassurance couldn't quell.
“They cannot enter, and they cannot harm you.”
Even in the most distressing situations, Amy’s expression remained unchanged.
“Let them bark.”
Her words brought a small measure of comfort.
***
…Their grotesque cries finally subsided as dawn approached.
The sunrise, after a sleepless night, felt like a celebration of my continued existence.
It was beautiful.
The world was filled with light again.
“Doctor, there are no hostiles within a 3km radius. They appear to retreat when the sun rises.”
As Amy reported,
The nocturnal creatures had returned to their lair before sunrise.
The warm sunlight had driven them away. They feared the light.
Knowing that I wouldn't have to face them during the day brought a flicker of hope.
“Good.”
But the flame was small, fragile, and threatened to be extinguished at any moment. I had to protect my base camp.
I saw the damaged cave entrance.
They had abandoned their attempts to enter and had resorted to psychological warfare, but-
“…Let’s hurry. We have to do something.”
“Yes.”
They had been digging while they tormented me.
Clever creatures.
They chipped away at my sanity, preying on my fears, while diligently working towards their goal.
The weakened rock at the entrance meant I didn't have much time left.
Based on my calculations…
…I had,
One week, until they broke through.
Amy and I searched the forest for weapons, for anything that could protect us.
I thought of [his] explosives, of Dan’s rifle.
There had to be other effective weapons on this planet.
Among the remnants of countless civilizations, there had to be something, some tool of destruction.
While each species, each civilization, might have its own unique biological and philosophical differences, any species capable of interstellar travel must have also developed weapons for self-defense.
“Hmm, this is… not ideal…”
But finding a suitable weapon proved difficult.
I needed something that could kill the monsters from a distance, a gun of some sort,
But those were usually stored in armories, not in scattered supply pods…
Which meant I had to find the Paradise’s armory to retrieve the crew’s rifles. And there was no guarantee it had survived the crash.
My head throbbed.
I should have taken Dan's rifle.
But at the time, I had been too distraught, too focused on the crash of the Paradise.
Still, it was a missed opportunity.
Dan’s rifle must have been near his body.
“…Amy, could we retrieve Dan’s rifle? It should still be near his body. We could bury him properly while we’re there…”
“Impossible. The coordinates are no longer valid due to the explosion and the subsequent transportation by the spiders.”
Amy, with only her head remaining, could only process information within a 3km radius.
Unless we stumbled upon the location by chance,
Her location tracking was useless.
“Damn it.”
The situation wasn't good.
Our search had yielded nothing.
I considered abandoning the cave and running, but I knew the flesh-lumps would find me.
They weren't tracking me by scent or sound.
They sensed my presence.
I couldn't comprehend this phenomenon, but I felt it instinctively.
They could find me, no matter where I hid.
…The flesh-lumps obeyed the moon’s will,
And as long as the moon remained in the sky,
I couldn't escape them.
Hiding was pointless.
I needed a defensible position.
It wasn't time to run, it was time to fortify my base.
I wouldn't find a better location than this.
I had to be satisfied with another week of safety.
One week,
To find a solution.
Amy and I continued our search for weapons, while simultaneously fortifying the cave entrance.
Scratch-
I dug a pit near the entrance, using Alraune’s roots to loosen the softer soil. Her roots were surprisingly strong and effective digging tools.
We planned to create a trap. Alraune could produce various plants, some with sharp thorns, others with poisonous secretions.
We would fill the pit with these plants,
And line the entrance with them as well, creating a barrier.
“Gasp- wait a minute…”
But every time I used Alraune’s abilities, I was hit with a wave of hunger and thirst.
It was similar to the side effects of the syringe.
As if she was drawing on my life force.
So, I had to eat constantly, stuffing my face with ration packs as I worked.
My metabolism seemed to have increased dramatically. No matter how much I ate, I still felt hungry, my stomach empty.
Each ration kit contained a significant amount of calories. With the dessert included, it was at least 4000 kcal.
While consuming an entire kit might seem excessive, it was less unbelievable than growing plants from my skin.
“G-good… that’s enough for now…”
Exhausted, I chewed on a chocolate bar, ending my workday. A dense thicket of plants now surrounded the cave entrance.
Even the flesh-lumps would struggle to penetrate this barrier. Even I, having developed a tolerance to Alraune’s toxins, felt a tingling sensation in my skin and muscles whenever I touched the plants.
“Come and get me… this is my house…”
“Your efforts are commendable.”
I leaned against the wall, wiping away the sweat, replenishing my fluids and calories.
This wouldn't stop them completely. But it would buy me some time.
One week could become two,
And two could become a month.
And perhaps, within that time, I would find a weapon.
“…”
Would I?
Neither Amy nor I could say for certain.
How long would it take?
If only someone, miraculously, would bring me a weapon-
“Kyaooo-”
“Agh! Fuck! What?!”
I jumped, startled, and let out a yell. Amy and Alraune were also surprised.
Despite our heightened senses, we hadn't detected its approach.
“Huh…?”
But Amy and I quickly relaxed.
While Alraune’s vines stirred anxiously, urging me to flee,
We recognized the creature.
“Jenny!”
“Krrrr- kyaa-”
She growled, climbing down the cave wall, cautiously approaching me.
She sniffed the air, then,
“Kyaooo-”
“She appears to be wary of you, Doctor.”
Her tail raised, rigid, she remained on high alert.
She seemed confused by my scent.
“Jenny, it’s me! You’re still alive?”
“Krrrr-”
“…Lower your tail. I’m not playing games.”
We stared at each other for a moment.
Then, Jenny submitted, rolling onto her back, exposing her belly.
“Krrr- whine-”
After this brief display of subservience, she crawled towards me, sniffing me again,
Then, for some reason, she started licking me, making strange noises.
She seemed to recognize me,
But my scent clearly displeased her.
…It wasn't just the sweat.
“Wait a minute, Jenny…”
Looking closer, I noticed numerous cuts and bruises on her larger frame.
Many of them looked like bite marks and scratches. There were even some blunt force trauma injuries.
“…Those flesh-lumps.”
It seemed,
She had also endured a difficult time.