Chapter 236
Chapter 236
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 236
Chapter Title: Ep. 236
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Screamers have all their activities controlled by machines connected to their brains. A fragment of their pre-modification ego remains, but control over their physical actions belongs entirely to the machines.
Contrary to their name, "Screamer," they cannot utter a single sound of their own volition. They are essentially nothing more than a moving prison.
This held true for the new-model mutant screamers as well.
There were differences—the identity of the modification subject was unknown, and the organic components could be altered via gene absorption—but they were identical in being biomechanical weapons dominated by machinery.
And the greatest advantage of AI-controlled combat weapons was their complete lack of fear.
Even if a comrade beside them vaporized from a plasma round, or they witnessed a Hulk mutant ripping apart regular soldiers, they remained unshaken. They simply pressed forward steadily toward their objective.
Of course, the original creature's ego that formed the Screamer's base material would feel terror, but it was irrelevant. With the emotion-control module linked to their heads activated, the host's feelings could not influence their movements.
In any case, Screamers did not fear unforeseen crises.
Not even when grotesque events piled up one after another—like space warping at random, or life signals erupting across the entire cave.
"D Team requests detection system recalibration."
｢B Team switching to thermal detection system. Heat signatures detected throughout the passage—ineffective.｣
｢C Team's sonic detection from 'Cave Ghoul' genes still confirmed operational.｣
｢E Team psionic detection sys…static, testing…static static｣
｢Reporting to Pyra Eleven. All teams on standby…static｣
"Psionic interference waves detected. Circuit reconfiguration required."
At the words of D Team's mutant Screamer handling comms, the other units entered standby mode. The patchwork monsters, stitched with traits from myriad creatures, scanned their surroundings using their assorted sensory organs.
Then, grayish smoke began seeping from deeper in the cave. The lead Screamer detected it and reported.
"Toxic substances confirmed in the air."
"Connect antitoxin tubes."
Tubes linked to their metal skeletons and life-support rigs detached, slamming into their mouths.
｢Kuuu｣ ｢Analyzing airborne toxins.｣
｢Enemy ambush probability: 78%.｣ ｢Kuuu｣
D Team's Screamers conversed via harsh mechanical tones, their tube-sealed mouths useless.
Toxic fog infiltrating the narrow passage signaled an imminent enemy strike. The Screamers drew weapons and fixed their gaze forward.
｢Kuuu｣
Rough breathing reverberated through the cave. Amid it came other sounds—the squelch of footsteps trudging through thick mud.
Something was approaching.
｢Kuuu｣ ｢Magma Gator ignition organs confirmed viable.｣ ｢Kuuu｣
｢Initiate preemptive attack.｣ ｢Kuuu｣
The Screamers with grotesquely swollen flesh waddled forward. Metal pipes nestled in their bloated flab swiveled ahead.
Intense flames erupted from the pipes, devouring the passage—born of stored gases and accelerants.
Then, a purple energy bolt lanced from the depths ahead, smashing into a flame-spewing Screamer. Flesh exploded, spilling combustibles that engulfed nearby units.
Mutant Screamers' metal frames and machinery boasted extreme heat resistance. Their organic hides were gene-tweaked for thermal tolerance. None spared a thought for the inferno consuming them.
Though their original owners silently howled in scorching agony.
｢Galleron confirmed.｣ ｢Kuuu｣
｢Counterattack commencing.｣
As they leveled their grafted legs forward, translucent purple energy bolts fired. Galleron genes absorbed and manifested as psionic rifles.
Psionic blasts rained over roaring flames, flooding the dim cave with light. At the passage's end, a diminutive red-skinned Galleron swiftly fell back.
｢Pursue enemy.｣ ｢Kuuu｣
｢Affir…｣
As D Team's Screamers moved to give chase—
The rearmost PS unit crumpled mid-reply. All optics snapped to it.
Its head was gone without trace.
Indigo energy bolts streaked from behind once more. This time targeting the PS model's head—the acting commander's.
D Team's leader raised a metal leg to intercept. The limb vanished tracelessly, as if dissolved by a Cult matter-disintegrator weapon.
｢Effect akin to Cult 'Demolisher' confirmed.｣ ｢Kuuu｣
｢Kuuu｣ ｢Disruptive matter spray for…｣
"Flank enemy contact."
"Enemy con…"
As they readied to engage front and rear foes, the black walls flanking their position melted away in unison. White-scaled Gallerons burst forth from within.
The Screamers had assumed a straight tunnel—but no.
This was a crossroads.
"Poor reception with D Team. Circuit recovery in progress."
｢B Team and C Team merged, entering massive cavern.｣
E Team persistently hailed the advance teams' commanders.
Comms blackout for mutant Screamers fused with Sea Demon and assorted psionic genes? Unthinkable. No electronics—just innate psionic relays. Who could jam that?
A top-tier psionic like a Sea Demon might, but impossible here. The nest's prior owner, the Black Galleron, was dead. Sea Demons didn't inhabit this world.
As E Team's dual commander models hunted the glitch's source, an external directive arrived.
｢Pyra Eleven relay: Trap confirmed. Evacuate immediately.｣
"Order acknowledged. Withdrawing."
Noise had plagued the line, but fortune favored them. E Team prepped nest egress.
No word from D Team's Screamers? Total commander Pyra Eleven's problem. Not for mere relays like them.
"Periodic restructuring renders maps obsolete."
"Current position suggests wall breach optimal."
"Acknowledged. Breaching."
Multi-legged Screamers advanced. Hellside Hornet genes granted them massive sickle claws.
Hellside Hornets excavated their lairs with those scythes. The Screamers mimicked, clawing at the wall.
Each swipe pulverized stone to sand.
"Soil contains unidentified substances."
"Life signatures from substances."
The claws dripped thick black goo.
Perhaps the jammer. Rear PS commanders beamed it external.
"Anomalous substance absent from Galleron nest profiles confirmed. Drones inop, relaying data priority."
｢Static, substance, static, confirmed, static, confirmed…｣
"New substance located, data transmitted. Confirm receipt."
Stable feed tanked abruptly. As commanders reattempted report—
｢Static, static static, confirmed, static, me, static static｣
"Comms degraded. Confirm."
｢Static static, worse, static static, worse, worse, sta, worse, worse｣
"PS-005?"
｢Worseworseworseworseworseworseworseworseworseworseworseworseworseworseworseworseworseworseworse…｣
Sudden comms surge prompted PS models to sever links. Reconnections failed—total blackout.
And with it, colossal psionic surge from astern. Wall-breachers sensed it, heads whipping around.
A pink balloon-like blob hovered in the black passage.
Misfit even to Screamer senses—but commanders knew it instantly. An entity forbidden on this planet. Forbidden anywhere.
"Enemy identi…ghk?!"
The ordering PS model locked rigid. Rushers toward the pink horror froze too.
Every Screamer halted, time-stilled. Then bodies lifted lazily skyward.
Invisible vise crushed them into a writhing pile.
Alloy skeletons rubberized and buckled. Organics-linked tech sparked, pulverized. They warped as if deep-sea imploded.
"Dan, dan, dan, danger, danger, danger."
Psionic bolts fired to no avail—mid-flight, they froze like the Screamers, taxidermied in void.
"Foc, focus, cluster shot, swi, switch…."
"Cou, counter, counter, counter, im, im, impo…."
"Retreat, re, retreaaghh!"
Swaps to kinetics failed. Internals mangled, options nil.
Just terminal wails.
Minutes passed. Silence reigned.
Dozens of Screamers: gone. A vast blood orb bobbed in their stead.
Pink balloon job done, it melted into shadow. Orb ruptured, disgorging innards.
Blood, chunks, shrapnel, reeking chems—mingled wreckage.
Wall slime slurped the floor scatter clean.
Soon: pristine void.
While others fell, B and C Teams delved deeper.
Pre-cutoff orders: scour nest interior, eliminate Special Target A. Max intel for mission success demanded survey.
Deep in: unprecedented colossal cavern.
"Cavern located. Airborne moisture elevated."
"Multiple organism residency traces."
A vast swamp filled the interior. A Screamer tested it—leg dipped. Heat confirmed Galleron respite zone.
"Environmental mismatch: swamp anomalous."
"Verify."
"Interior search commencing."
"Acknowledged."
B/C S-model Screamers waded in. Commanders loitered at exit passage—for lowbies to stall any retreat.
"Massive life signatures."
"No motion."
Lives pinged, inert. Scans conflicted.
Mid-probe, one spotted unnatural ripples. Cyclic waves from central swamp roiled the surface.
Screamers fanned out, encircled. Detector crept to epicenter.
Parting viscous black, a black rock's edge emerged. Waves pulsed thence, lapping shallow.
"Submerge for confirmation."
"Cleared."
Head plunged into mystery sludge. Aquatic genes rendered depths legible.
No rock—a hypertrophied tumor. Rockoid sprouted elongate tendrils, reaching encirclement feet.
Eyeing tendrils then rockoid—dawning.
It opened eyes. Fixed on him.
"Special targ…."
Report aborted—its strike swifter.
Vast arm erupted subsurface, snaring him. Touched organics withered, shattered.
Screamer energies slurped, "it"—Special Target A—slowly rose from swampy submergence.