Chapter 271
Chapter 271
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 271
Chapter Title: qiqi iykow gkk-271i
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 271
Chapter Title: Rat Swarm (2)
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“F-Fall back, everyone! Gaaahhh!”
“Our retreat's cut off!”
A cyborg with five extra arms sprouting from his upper body bellowed a monstrous roar as he charged straight at the mercenaries. A wolf with three additional joints in each leg clambered up onto a container and leaped down from above. While the mercenaries' eyes were fixed on the other infected, a human with a shattered jaw and a second mouth sprouting inside lunged from the rear.
The number of mutants was roughly over a hundred—a third of the troops who had boarded the train.
The rest had either undergone such severe mutations that they couldn't even move, or they'd been killed by other mutants before reaching this point.
Just as I couldn't precisely control changes to my mimicry organs, mutations worked the same way. Once infected by the virus, transformations were completely random, so they didn't always result in the most efficient forms.
'Not everything can turn out perfectly.'
Even inefficient mutations didn't make for weak mutants in combat. Depending on the changes, they could move as swiftly as wild beasts and cleave human bodies in two.
Of course, this only applied to close quarters. If the enemy unleashed a volley of fire, no living creature could survive that. Destroy the brain or heart completely, and functions ceased. At first, the enemies had aimed carefully at vital spots like the head and heart.
If I hadn't been here, they probably would've won. Their side included plenty of battle-hardened mercenaries. They would've figured out a way to counter eventually.
“Damn it! They're too fast!”
“That's one of ours! Don't shoot!”
But right now, the mercenaries were floundering, unable to handle the mutants properly.
And the reason was me.
'Herald of Great Chaos.'
Waves emanating from the monster's tentacles toyed with the minds and senses of everyone present. The mercenaries couldn't distinguish friend from foe even with enemies scurrying right in front of their noses. The mutants ignored fights among themselves and targeted only the mercenaries.
It was all a side effect of the sensory distortion caused by the psychic waves I was emitting.
“G-Guhk?”
A mutant with a vertically split face lined with hundreds of fangs struck a mercenary from behind. The mercenary flailed his arms desperately to escape, but it was no use. The razor-sharp teeth crushed and tore into his skull and spine.
“What the hell?!”
“Son of a bitch!”
The mercenaries recoiled in horror at the sheer power. While they were distracted by the mutants, I slowly closed in on them.
One mercenary was too busy battling monsters at close range to notice anything else. The wolf-headed mercenary on the container hadn't spotted me amid his frantic shooting at the leaping horrors.
I crept up silently and lashed out with a tentacle.
“Guhk?!”
A tentacle resembling an octopus limb coiled around his neck. Before he could scream, the tip jammed into his maw.
“......!”
The three-pronged tentacle clogged his throat, making the mercenary convulse violently as he gagged. In the meantime, the mutation virus produced by my body sought out its new host.
“Kwaaaaaagh!”
The tentacle didn't stay attached long. As soon as it detached, the mercenary collapsed face-down, vomiting uncontrollably. Undigested contents mixed with a black, tar-like substance spewed from his mouth.
“Grk... Gruuugh! Bluuugh! W-Wha... Th-This... Thi-this...”
“Hey! You okay?”
Another comrade rushed over at the sight. He supported his ally, who was spewing the black fluid nonstop.
For a mercenary, he had a surprisingly kind heart—but in this situation, it wasn't exactly a smart move.
“We need to inject the antidote right—”
“G-G-G-G-Grk!”
“Huh? Wha-what?”
The supporting mercenary's body twisted grotesquely. The mutation had begun. His spine shot out rapidly, piercing through flesh and reinforced suit alike, jutting into the open air. Like a cobra rearing up, the spine and head stood rigid atop his mangled upper body.
The mercenary who'd been staring blankly got smacked by his comrade's spine and went flying. He slammed into a container without resisting. I helped the one with the snapped waist join his friend.
“Grk grk grk grk!”
The newly minted mutant growled like a beast. I tried to guide it toward other mercenaries using my sensory disruption waves.
“Grk grk.”
But I was a tad too slow—it sensed me first. Arms sprouted fourfold from around its waist, letting it skitter like a spider. The mutant turned toward me, roaring and baring its teeth.
“Grk?!”
In that instant, its neck whipped around as if hit by an air gun. With a sickening crack, its head twisted 180 degrees, and it crumpled in place.
Specimen 026, riding on my back, had snapped its body with psychic power, forcibly turning it toward the other mercenaries using 'Binding'.
“Grk grk grk.”
The mutant spotted its new target and bolted that way. The mercenaries battling other mutants screamed at the enemy appearing from behind.
“U-Uwaaah! There's more here!”
I'd have loved to pet it like usual, but my arms were too short for that now. Of course, Specimen 026 didn't mind getting just verbal praise from me.
A few minutes later, the storage area fell silent—no more gunfire or screams. Nothing but the heavy breathing of beasts driven solely by bloodlust.
Under the sensory distortion, they gnawed mindlessly at corpses and containers. They were compliant for now with prey nearby, but once that ran out, they'd rampage blindly, ignoring their senses entirely.
'Then I'll give them fresh meat.'
Like starving royal worms that held formation as long as food was provided, these mutants were the same. Coat their claws and fangs in blood, and they'd keep fighting until their stored energy was depleted.
I adjusted 'Herald of Great Chaos.' The tentacle mane draping over the back of my head and neck writhed, fine-tuning the distortion waves.
“Grk grk grk.”
“Grk grk.”
The mutants ripping into guts with their faces buried in corpses reacted in unison. Their glazed eyes turned toward the passage leading outside.
Fresh meat awaited them there—the kind they craved.
“Grk grk grk grk grk!”
“Grk grk grk grk grk.”
“Grk grk grk.”
The starving rat swarm roared. Guided by the herald of chaos, the mutants surged outward.
'Still not quite enough numbers.'
To shatter the fortress's order, I needed more chaos, more terror. I'd have to boost the mutant count by turning more humans outside.
With Specimen 026 on my back, I followed behind the mutants. PS-111 wasn't here—it had gone elsewhere along the tracks to handle something more important.
Passing through the blood-soaked passage, sporadic noises reached us. Screams from outside the underground storage echoed all the way here.
'If they'd just sealed the entrance, they might've bought more time.'
Players aside, expecting that kind of quick thinking from regular pirates was probably too much. Guys used to killing and looting others never imagined it'd happen to them like this.
'If it's too late, I won't even get mutant stock... Huh?'
Movement stirred beyond the torn door of the underground storage. Three figures who looked like pirates huddled in the shadows, trembling.
“Please don't kill me please don't kill me please don't kill me...”
“Q-Quiet! They'll hear you!”
“Damn damn damn! I never should've joined the Marcio Cartel!”
The three chattered like madmen. Their eyes were glued to the slaughter unfolding outside, so they didn't notice me crawling out.
'Perfect. Let's turn these three into mutants first.'
Three tentacles slithered along the shadows.
One cowardly pirate sensed something off and turned his head. His eyes widened in horror upon spotting me.
At the same moment, the three-pronged black tentacles engulfed his face.
“Haaah, I'll grab a drink from the machine.”
“Sure.”
The 8th Environmental Control Station handled security for the naval port and its surrounding oxygen supply, gravity generators, and more. The atmosphere inside the unique diamond-overlap shaped building was as peaceful as ever.
The potbellied pirate paused on his way out and called to his comrades.
“Want me to grab one for you guys?”
“Nah, that thing tastes like two-day-old piss.”
“...How would you even know, senior?”
“Live the pirate life for a year or more. You'll learn all the nasty shit.”
Chuckling at his comrades' banter, the potbellied pirate stepped out of the control room.
He strolled down the pristine corridor to the fridge at the end, pulled out a palm-sized energy drink can, glanced around furtively, and grabbed an extra bottle from inside.
Tucking away the synth booze, he dashed to the bathroom. Plopping onto the toilet, he cracked open the bottle and chugged its contents.
“Grrraaah!”
Fire raced from his tongue down his throat and esophagus. He quickly popped the drink can and took a swig to chase it.
“Guuugh, hits the spot.”
The environmental control station was vital for sustaining the fortress residents' lives. A breach here meant no guaranteeing safety for the naval port or subordinate zones.
The potbellied pirate knew that full well. If Deputy Leader Kartun found out, he'd tear him apart. Hell, even the station chief would space him without hesitation.
But as a severe alcoholic, immediate cravings trumped future risks.
Having drained both the drink and booze, he emerged from the stall with a flushed face. Head back to the control room like this, and even his dimwit comrades would notice. He splashed water on his face at the sink and scrubbed hard.
“This should do it.”
With color returned to his cheeks, he stepped out of the bathroom.
“Hm?”
On his way back to the control room, he spotted something odd. The emergency exit door at the corridor's end hung open.
'Someone step out for a smoke?'
Kesha Arma's key facilities had bunkers for emergencies. That exit led to a bunker accessible from the naval port subway station and the environmental control station—for evacuating personnel from both.
'Eh, I'll just ask.'
Confirming no one inside, he locked the door.
Then he whistled his way back to the control room.
“These bastards sneak off. Who the hell smokes in the control—”
He pushed open the control room door, ready to chew them out.
If his comrades had actually been inside, he definitely would've.
But instead of familiar backs, something entirely different sat there. Towering so massively that even hunched over, its back brushed the ceiling.
'It' perched atop the mangled remains of his comrades from just minutes ago. As it manipulated the computers ahead with huge, hook-like claws, 'it' slowly turned its head.
“I didn't expect a survivor. A miscalculation due to incomplete intel.”
The monster with a beautiful woman's head twisted its neck unnaturally as it spoke.
“Wh-Wh-What the hell are you?!”
“Body scan complete. Rich in nutrients.”
The monster pressed a blood-smeared keyboard with its hook talon.
“Your energy will be mine.”
The door behind the pirate clicked shut quietly.
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