Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: Mod7
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Chapter 5 - Grenade
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Inside the cave, night had fallen.
“Doctor, do not approach.”
“It’s okay. I know…”
The cocoon pulsed with life. Jenny, curled up inside, was undergoing a transformation.
Awe and fear warred within me.
I stood at a safe distance, yet close enough to observe her.
My gaze was drawn to the cocoon, unable to look away.
I had witnessed countless things beyond my comprehension since arriving on this planet, and I had become desensitized to the bizarre,
But…
“Incredible… what is this…?”
I couldn't tear my eyes away from this real-time display of evolution.
All the females I had encountered,
And even the mysterious flesh-lumps…
This cocoon, containing elements of them all, ignited a spark of scientific curiosity within me.
Perhaps it was because of Jenny's transformation,
But tonight was unusually quiet.
At first, I thought it was simply my heightened focus, tuning out the usual cries of the monsters,
But they hadn't appeared yet.
Perhaps they too feared Jenny’s metamorphosis.
What was Jenny’s place in this planet’s ecosystem?
And if she was a powerful predator-
“Doctor, they are approaching.”
What were those creatures that had terrified Jenny,
The creatures that had driven me into the lake?
“…Other entities have accompanied them tonight.”
Amy’s voice was unusually clear.
Jenny’s cocoon pulsed more rapidly.
“They are the same entities that pursued us previously.”
The air grew cold.
They weren't rushing.
I understood why they were late tonight.
They had sent the mindless flesh-lumps ahead,
While the true predators followed behind.
They didn't scream or cry.
But I could feel their presence outside the cave, a powerful, oppressive force that made my head spin.
The creatures that had watched Amy and me in the lake…
“មាន់ជល់ (Open it).”
I heard another new language. Not the language of the mermaids or the spiders, nor the language of the fingers, but something entirely different.
I couldn't even begin to decipher the meaning. The sounds, the guttural vibrations, were alien.
I wasn't prepared to face them.
“បើកវា។ (Male).”
Their words were short and sharp. Each sound seemed to carry a weight of meaning.
I didn't need to translate them. I understood their intent.
–Open the door.
That's what they were saying.
I had a feeling they would find a way inside, even though the entrance was sealed.
“Those things…”
I swallowed, my throat dry, and asked Amy,
“They look like Jenny, don’t they?”
“Yes.”
In that moment,
I understood Jenny’s actions.
Why she had sought me out.
She had come to me, the being she saw as a parent. In her most vulnerable state, she had sought the protection of her parent.
This was my duty,
My only choice.
I had to protect Jenny.
I had to face them, even with only this thin wall of rock between us.
How long could it hold?
Crack-
As I wondered,
They began their assault on the entrance.
They were decisive, their judgment swift and accurate.
While the flesh-lumps had shown a degree of intelligence,
These creatures,
Were far more cunning and ruthless.
They knew their own strength,
The strength of the rock that blocked their path,
And my and Jenny’s ability to resist.
They had already calculated everything.
“Doctor, step back.”
Amy seemed to see their power, their potential.
My voice trembled as I asked her,
“Amy, how long do we have?”
“30…”
“30 hours?”
Her report was as monotonous as ever.
“30, 29, 28, 27, 26…”
She continued counting down, her words a chilling reminder of our impending doom.
25 seconds until they broke through.
“Damn it.”
I only had one option left.
“Amy! How do I use this grenade…?”
***
Crack-
A fissure appeared in the entrance, moonlight streaming through.
“Wait!”
I stood before them, my small form silhouetted against the eerie moonlight, and opened the entrance.
If it was going to be breached anyway, I might as well preserve what I could. I would return here someday.
“Alright. I’ll open it. Just wait.”
Even though they couldn't understand my words, they paused their attack, waiting for the entrance to open.
They could sense,
My fear,
And my resolve.
The entrance opened,
And I saw them, creatures I had never encountered before.
They were twice as tall as Jenny,
Their tails and claws far more menacing.
Humanoid in form,
But covered in a black, almost armor-like exoskeleton.
I backed away,
And they entered the cave, their movements calm and deliberate.
Behind them were the flesh-lumps. The grotesque creatures that had slaughtered Dan and the security team, their disgusting tongues lolling out, their eyes scanning me up and down.
The creatures in front were no different. Their eyes, with inverted pupils, sent a chill down my spine-
"នោះជាបុរសល្អ។ (Is that the male?)"
They looked at me, muttering amongst themselves before entering the cave.
I had a bad feeling.
Their gazes were sticky and repulsive.
But different from the lustful gazes of the females. These creatures’ eyes were filled with bloodlust.
I forced myself to remain calm, trying to project an air of defiance. One of them stepped forward, its finger tracing my jawline, a strange smile on its face.
“អ្នកមើលទៅគួរឱ្យស្រលាញ់ (You look cute).”
“សម័យនេះគេនាំតែប្រុសដែលមានគុណភាព។ (Is he the same species as the others?)”
But one thing was clear: they weren't driven by sexual desire. They had another purpose.
“ថែរក្សាបុរសនៅពេលក្រោយ។ ប្អូនប្រុសរបស់ខ្ញុំមកមុន។ (We'll deal with the male later. Our brother comes first.)”
I was the only thing standing in their way.
They seemed surprised that a male would dare to oppose them. They couldn't comprehend my actions.
Perhaps it was understandable.
Would a human be afraid of an ant?
It would be a mere annoyance. A flick of the wrist, and the ant would be crushed.
“…Stop. All of you.”
But I stood my ground, blocking the entrance.
I had one thing they didn't.
Dan’s grenade, clutched tightly in my hand.
“Do you know what this is?”
I walked towards them, my small form dwarfed by their massive frames. They looked down at me, their expressions amused. They didn't even consider me a threat.
That was their mistake.
This was our first encounter,
I knew nothing about them,
And I didn't understand their connection to Jenny.
But I knew one thing for sure.
I knew what would happen if this grenade,
Detonated within this already weakened cave.
Click-
Just before they breached the entrance,
I followed Amy’s instructions.
I removed the safety clip, then pulled the pin.
After that, I just had to release it.
My hand, clutching the small, explosive device, trembled, slick with sweat…
“You don’t know what this is, do you? You monsters…!”
I thought of [him],
His final, self-sacrificing act.
“This… is a grenade! We humans aren't as primitive as you. While we’ve almost destroyed our planet with weapons like this, you should know that this… is a very powerful device…”
It would be okay.
I probably wouldn't die.
Alraune would heal me,
Or perhaps the hood, which had protected me from the previous blast, would save me again.
“So, here’s a question. What do you think will happen when the already weakened rock face of this cave is subjected to another powerful shock?”
I released the grenade.
Click-
The handle detached.
“I don’t know what you’re planning to do to Jenny, but she’s under my protection… so!”
The creatures, sensing the danger, finally backed away.
Did she say it would detonate in three seconds?
“Go play somewhere else. Growing children need their sleep…? Jenny is sleeping soundly, so stop making noise and get lost.”
Even with Alraune’s healing abilities, the pain would be excruciating.
And honestly,
I wasn't sure if my shattered body could recover from this.
BOOM-
The cave collapsed.
Burying me and Jenny beneath tons of rock,
Making it impossible for them to find us.