Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Expanding the Hive
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"U-Uwaaaagh!"
The soldiers who arrived late stared in horror at the blood-soaked bridge. Those with little combat experience vomited on the spot, while the officers grieved over their superiors' corpses.
"You fucking idiots! Why are you so late!"
"S-Sorry, sir!"
Yuseong Samuel bellowed at them. There wasn't a trace of the trembling man who'd hidden in the corner just moments ago. For a captain sworn to protect his crew, he was putting on quite the shameless display.
"Clean this mess up right now!"
"...Understood."
Discontent flickered across the soldiers' faces, but their opponent was a superior officer—the ship's captain, no less. Without complaint, they began gathering the bodies strewn across the bridge.
'Damn it, how many did we lose?'
The attack had come right when all the key personnel for navigation were gathered. And the monster had picked off the most vital ones first.
'Research Team Leader, Technical Team Leader, Kitchen Team Leader, Navigation Team Leader, Crisis Management Team Leader... all of them gone!'
The losses of the Technical Team Leader and Crisis Management Team Leader hurt the most.
The Technical Team Leader handled all ship maintenance and repairs, while the Crisis Management Team Leader oversaw combat operations.
Both were essential talents for fighting pirates.
He'd never know. The monster had deliberately targeted them first.
'If we run into pirates like this, we're done for.'
Yuseong was a complete novice at combat. This research vessel was built on a combat frigate chassis, but he wasn't military. He was just a rich guy who'd bought a secondhand ship. The odds of a civilian like him capably commanding against battle-hardened pirates were near zero. Better to appoint a new Crisis Management Team Leader from the soldiers to handle them.
"...Who's the highest-ranking soldier here?"
"That would be me, Captain."
"You're the new Crisis Management Team Leader. Command the soldiers and protect the ship."
The officer, suddenly promoted several ranks, didn't look pleased. He knew full well that a pirate encounter was imminent.
But as the new team leader, he couldn't show it. He saluted silently and withdrew.
Appointing a new team leader solved nothing fundamentally. The monster was still lurking somewhere aboard, and the pirates were due in two days.
He considered breaking the deal and running, but the Navigation Team Leader—who could've plotted the course—was dead. As captain, Yuseong could set a route himself, but he wasn't skilled at fine-tuning it.
And the pirates knew their position perfectly. A sloppy escape would just let them catch up fast.
'Fuck it, should I just abandon ship and bail?'
Even escaping in a shuttle wouldn't save Yuseong's future. He'd end up hounded by creditors or the Noble Capital. Neither was ideal, but he figured living beat dying.
As he indulged in escapism, snippets of soldier chatter reached his ears.
"This doesn't look like a standard pistol."
"Looks like the Team Leader's weapon."
Yuseong's eyes widened at what they held.
"Hey, you!"
"Yes?"
"Bring that here."
The item was a Plasma Pistol. Yuseong checked the charge first.
'60%. Good.'
With over half the energy left, it'd serve fine for self-defense. There was a slight crack on the barrel, but as a non-military man, he had no clue what that meant.
Yuseong sent the soldiers away and stared blankly at the wrecked bridge.
The Medical Team Leader approached him. His hands were drenched in blood from helping collect the bodies.
"Any survivors?"
"Everyone died except the Acting Research Team Leader, who was hit first."
"What? Senior Researcher Way survived?"
"He's in recovery. Lucky for him, he's immune to the monster's neurotoxin. But his vision, smell, and taste organs suffered permanent damage. Even if he lives, he'll be on tubes for life."
"......"
Far from lucky, Way's state was pitiable enough that death might've been kinder. Just hearing about it was gruesome; Yuseong shook his head.
"Medical Team Leader, isn't there anything we can do?"
"Pardon?"
"We've got the monster and pirates to deal with."
"......"
The Medical Team Leader was skilled at healing, not killing. Yuseong knew that but asked out of sheer frustration.
"...What if we just surrender to the Space Dogs?"
"What? Ha. Good one. You think Mega Corp will let us off?"
Yuseong chuckled dryly at the unfunny joke, but the Medical Team Leader was dead serious.
The Space Dogs were a pirate gang that pillaged indiscriminately, hated by most factions. Warring against every race made their members' lives cheaper than flies.
That left them perpetually short on educated specialists—experts vital for navigation and combat, like doctors.
And this ship's Medical Team Leader was the best physician aboard.
'This guy's just looking out for himself.'
Space Dogs skinned the wealthy alive, no matter the cartel. Yuseong, the richest here, had zero desire to end up as some boss's trophy mask.
"Cut the nonsense and keep the crew in line. Got it?"
"Ahem."
Yuseong glared coldly at the coughing Medical Team Leader.
With the situation this dire, not a single reliable soul in sight. Soldiers cleaning up, officers agonizing over plans, Medical Team Leader with ulterior motives. None trustworthy.
The one semi-reliable guy was being carted out headless.
'What now...'
Yuseong sighed and left the bridge.
Everyone was exhausted, but they didn't know yet.
Hell had only just begun.
'I've taken out most of the key players.'
Yuseong might've stayed, but he's nowhere near a real threat. With Arnold—the sharpest mind—dead, the crew's fate was sealed.
Plus, the ship's top technician perished by my hand. Meaning any mechanical issues in ship operations would be hard to fix. Even if the AI flags problems, resolving them would take time.
In the meantime, I had work to do.
'Expand the hive.'
Time to seize key ship facilities beyond just the vents. While the enemy scrambled, neutralize high-security spots like the armory or labs first.
I wouldn't destroy them outright. I'd lay new hives to corrupt them.
'The slime from the spores is toxic to humans.'
I stroked the adorable spores. In response to my affectionate touch, they oozed thick fluid.
Once hardened, regular tools couldn't break it. Destroy part of it, and it regenerated instantly. Only uprooting it with something like a flamethrower would work.
I'd only had one hive so far due to limits. Hatchlings could make one; Juveniles add one to two more.
So, max three total now. With one in the cooling chamber, I could make two more.
'Where to put them.'
First priority: the cafeteria. Eating was key to human survival. A hive there would contaminate stores, cutting their supplies.
The rest was trickier.
'Armory or lab.'
The armory held Plasma Launchers—weapons that could end me. Best remove them ASAP. If I were a normal Aimorph, I'd do just that.
'But I'm stealing the launcher.'
Plasma Launchers were too heavy for a lone human, but I was an Aimorph. My four robust arms could handle it easily.
I couldn't wield it human-style due to anatomy, but knowing how made it no issue.
'Didn't plan to originally, but...'
Arnold's words lingered.
The one he served: Sihyun Yujin.
Whoever that was, pirate ties were clear. Might even be among them.
Nothing scarier than unknown foes. Time to stockpile firepower.
'Grab the launcher from the armory, hive in the lab.'
Lab reason was simple: tons of gene samples stored there.
Mega Corp and some races had gene refinement tech—extracting essences. Eating them triggered Predation Effect.
Sounds ideal, but big flaw.
'Low odds.'
Less than 10% vs. eating whole creatures. Even corpses had low rates; this was worse. Traits were rare.
'Even eating every lab sample, maybe five traits max?'
Still, two body-related traits unlocked Physical Enhancement Type. Psionic Enhancement needed one more, but psychic traits were scarce here.
'Plus samples, there's Psionium too.'
Psionium let me tap Subadult powers—key against pirates.
'Goals set. Time to move.'
Crew should be at meals now. Hive the lab first.
I headed straight there.
The lab was messier than before. Soldiers were all on search duty—no guards. Security was tight, but Technical and Security Teams were too stretched to monitor.
I settled a short distance away.
｢Hi!｣
'Huh?'
About to spew slime when someone hailed me. Specimen 026, the Bubble Amoeba, from the lab.
'Seems chipper.'
Its waves buzzed with energy. I replied via my psionic organ.
[Zuzz zuzz zuzz (You seem happy)]
｢Yeah! No pain!｣
'No experiments today?'
Made sense—no researchers with the ship chaos. Probably hiding in quarters.
'Then let's get bold.'
I crept toward the lab. Internal AI detected vibration, flashing red. Ship AI should've alerted Tech and Security by now.
｢Whatcha doing?｣
[Zuzz (Waiting)]
｢?｣
After ~30 minutes, no one came. Auxiliary organs scanned—no approaching humans.
Confirmed.
Ship security wasn't recovered. No need to skulk. I smashed the vent, landing on the lab floor.
[Zuzz zuzz zuzz (Long time no see)]
｢Yeah.｣
026 looked healthy. Always pale before, now vivid pink—classic Bubble Amoeba hue.
Seeing it so lively sparked a thought.
'Take it with me?'
Only friendly being on this ship. If useful genes, I'd eat it no question—but it's a Bubble Amoeba. No need unless starved.
'Left here, it'll starve.'
Researchers might not return.
Immune to toxins as a space jellyfish—fine in hive or with me. Feed it calorie bars or human meat.
[Zuzz zuzz zuzz (Wanna leave?)]
｢Leave? Where?｣
[Zuzz zuzz zuzz (Outside the lab)]
｢Yeah! Wanna leave!｣
Instant yes. 026's fate was set.
I signaled caution, then shattered its tank. Grabbed it as liquid spilled.
Long submerged, fresh air startled it. It shrank, puffed, repeated—then normalized.
｢Thanks! Thanks! Thanks!｣
Loving freedom, it slapped onto my arm happily. I petted it with a small arm, set it down briefly.
[Zuzz zuzz zuzz (Wait here)]
｢Doing what?｣
[Zuzz zuzz zuzz (Making hive)]
Leaving it watching, I sprayed slime everywhere.
Curious, 026 trailed me, tasting slime—immune, no issue.
The spotless lab turned into the ship's filthiest spot in under hours. Translucent slime hardened to grotesque dark brown tendrils, spores oozing repulsive fluid. Less lab, more cursed swamp.
'Lab's done.'
No interruptions let it grow huge—bigger than vent hive. Hunger hit hard. I smashed tanks, pulled out brains and organs.
'Tastes awful.'
Nothing like human. Nutrition over flavor—like bad burger.
Munching brain, 026 climbed my shoulder. Hungry too; it gulped shares eagerly.
Belly half-full, checked freezer. Masses of gene samples.
Swept them in, chowed down. Security alarm wailed—ignored.
Semitransparent boxes popped—ignored, focused eating. Halfway, auxiliaries detected two approaches.
'Finally.'
Two presences: one steady stride (soldier), one civilian (researcher probably).
Two for a squad-worthy threat? I smirked inwardly—pity, no nose.
Stopped eating, exited freezer.
"Gasp?!"
"W-What the hell!"
Entrance duo gaped at corrupted lab. Instead of calling backup, frozen.
Stupidity's price: death.
I hid in tendrils, lunged at soldier first. He startled, aimed laser rifle—I knew it'd miss. Auxiliaries calculated trajectory instantly.
Laser veered wild. My tail didn't. Venom stinger—like living blade—shattered ribs, shredded lungs.
"Gurgle!"
Soldier spewed blood, head drooped. Dead. I approached researcher.
"H-Hiii! Spare me!"
Legs buckled, puddle of yellow, ammonia stench.
Was about to decapitate—then 026 on shoulder buzzed excited.
[Zuzz (What's up?)]
｢Hurts! Hurts!｣
'Hurts? Oh.'
Its limited vocab confused me briefly.
This guy experimented on it—revenge time.
'Bubble Amoebas can kill too.'
Size of large basketball—human head snack-sized.
Stung researcher lightly with tail tip. Neurotoxin paralyzed him into furniture. Placed 026 atop his head.
"!"
Understanding, 026 bloomed, engulfed head.
Instant soldier death vs. melting agony? Either way, dead. While 026 ate, I tore into soldier.
No more visitors. Hoisted sated 026 to shoulder, returned to lab hive. Behind: researcher with skull alone bleached.
Business done, new semitransparent box appeared before me.
Goal achieved, I smiled.