Chapter 42
Chapter 42
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: Ep. 42
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William, the detective captain under the Harbor District Security Team, was currently in the residential district.
He had come to check on his friend in person because there had been no reply to his messages for over a week.
'No matter how busy he was, the guy always made time to respond.'
For such a person to go silent for over a week meant something was wrong.
William knocked on his friend's door.
When there was no response even after a long wait, he pulled out the terminal hidden in his pocket. It was hacking gear confiscated from criminals by the security team, which he had secretly taken using his authority as captain.
After connecting the device and operating it, there was a click from the door. He opened the now-unlocked door and stepped inside.
His friend, a former soldier, had kept the place impeccably tidy.
However, perhaps because the door hadn't been opened in a long time, there was a thick, musty smell of dust throughout the house.
It felt like no one had been around for quite a while. The only sounds breaking the silence were the virtual TV from the neighboring apartment and the echo of his footsteps.
His eyes caught a coffee mug on the dining table.
'Half-drunk coffee.'
There were dried coffee stains inside the mug, evidence it had been left sitting in the dry room for an extended period.
'Something definitely happened.'
Convinced, William began searching. He checked everywhere his friend might hide weapons: closets, under the bed, and so on.
As a result, he confirmed that some weapons and gear were missing.
'Armed and vanished—or dead.'
Before coming here, he had reviewed all reported violent incidents in the Harbor District. None involved firearms stronger than a laser rifle.
That meant his friend had been quietly eliminated.
'The organization of that guy in pajamas.'
According to recent reports, the person meeting Broker S had changed. They must have noticed the police surveillance and were trying to evade it somehow.
William contacted his team via communicator, then sat down and opened the laptop he had brought.
"It's me. What came of the info we sent to surveillance?"
The police had diligently tracked Broker S and the mysterious man, but they failed to capture him on camera. As a team member had said during the briefing, the man was too elusive.
In the end, they could only pass along a composite sketch based on the officers' memories rather than photos. Because of that, the surveillance team had to manually compare it against every face caught on city cameras day and night.
"The new guy's still under analysis."
"What about the pajama guy from the first encounter?"
｢That one's done. We cross-referenced against all faces caught on cameras across the T&C Special Trade Center and narrowed it down to 20 similar suspects. Sending the related profiles now.｣
A moment later, a message popped up on his laptop indicating files had arrived.
As he reviewed the 20 profiles, he frowned.
"Commercial district worker? Nothing on this guy?"
｢No criminal record.｣
"He looks exactly like the bastard. What about the shop?"
｢We called. They said he hasn't shown up in ages. Day laborer anyway, so they didn't care much.｣
"......"
William wanted to press why they hadn't dug deeper, but he held back.
In this T&C Special Trade Center, low-capital folks were little more than disposable parts. With so many people flowing in and out of the city, no one paid much mind if a worker vanished.
His subordinate was part of this city too. Scolding wouldn't change that, and William knew it.
'A rotten, diseased city.'
Not everyone in Mega Corp accepted the unfair system. Plenty grew disillusioned with a society that disregarded human life and defected to Star Union or Space Dogs.
William, a former soldier himself, couldn't stomach how more people died in entertainment districts than on battlefields.
'...No. I'm a servant of Mega Corp. Catching criminals who harm society—that's my duty.'
He shook his head to clear the pointless thoughts.
To his subordinate waiting on the line, he issued orders.
"Send guys to the shop for a re-investigation, and check the other 19's workplaces, residences, and contacts thoroughly."
｢Yes, sir!｣
"I'm already in the residential district, so I'll handle this one personally."
｢Sir? Isn't today your day off...?｣
"When do we get days off in this job? Anyway, good work."
William ended the call and closed his laptop.
Before leaving, he bowed his head quietly toward his likely deceased friend.
'I'll avenge you.'
According to the profile, the pajama man lived in a nearby apartment complex.
After exiting his friend's place, William headed to a slightly more rundown complex.
'Third floor, right?'
As he climbed the stairs and entered the third-floor hallway, William felt an eerie sensation. Like his friend's place, residential district apartments weren't great living spaces. Built with cheap materials to cut costs, they had all sorts of issues—especially soundproofing, which was abysmal.
'No sounds.'
Even in the daytime, this level of silence was blatantly suspicious.
As if no one lived on the entire third floor.
"......"
Tensing up, he drew his laser pistol. After a small deep breath, he knocked on the target door.
No response. He knocked several more times, but heard nothing from inside.
'Out?'
Strictly speaking, he should have gotten a search warrant, but William skipped it. Waiting for approval risked the suspect fleeing and complicating things.
Resolved, he pulled out the hacking gear again. As he easily picked the lock and opened the door, William caught a familiar smell.
'Blood!'
With his long experience as a soldier and detective captain, he recognized the fishy, nauseating odor instantly.
Unlike the smell, there were no obvious irregularities inside. It was tidy, if not quite as pristine as his friend's place.
But to William, the neatness felt like an artificial setup to hide a crime scene.
'Nothing?'
The smell persisted, yet no evidence. As he wondered if he should get a warrant after all, his eyes landed on the fridge.
As if compelled, he opened it.
"...!"
No body.
Just stark, dried bloodstains.
William rushed out.
"It's me! Found the guy colluding with Broker S! Location is..."
His urgent radio transmission finally mobilized the Harbor District Security Team.
'Oh?'
Lately, aside from meeting Sander, I'd been sticking to residents in my apartment building for meals.
I'd just finished eating in the last unit on the third floor, and for the first time in a while, the Predation Effect triggered.
Acquiring a trait at this point felt like the text box sending me a celebratory cake.
'Beast’s Claw, huh.'
As the name suggests, it reinforced my claws to aid close combat. No fancy extras, but like most enhancement traits, it wasn't considered bad.
'Perfect timing. I was short on physical traits.'
I currently had 10 physical traits left after using the Pollution Nest for the Parasite Swarm materials.
I needed 13 to utilize the Transcendence System, so just two more to go.
'Apply.'
Upon acceptance, my combat arm let out a noisy crunch like bones grinding as it transformed.
The razor-like nails on its four fingers thickened and lengthened, becoming massive like a hand scythe. Yet the sharpness hadn't dulled—it could probably slice through flesh like peeling fruit.
Once the mutation finished, the text box appeared like a report.
'Good.'
Evolution was progressing smoothly.
The conditions were filling steadily, if slowly.
'Lloyd and his boyfriend, 7 of the 9 bodyguards excluding the leader and Kate, plus the 3 humans from this floor over the last few days— that's 12 total.'
I'd killed the neighbor and bodyguard leader myself, but since I shared the bodies with Specimen 026, they didn't count toward evolution. Thus, humanoid sapients tallied at 12 consumed.
'Wolves make 2 including Kate and today's.'
There were plenty of other transformation-capable sapient species besides Wolves, but who knew if I'd encounter them in this space city. Wolves being common, I'd probably fill it with them.
'Eating all the Wolves in the complex should cover over half, and humans—just clearing this building will more than do it.'
Once other conditions cleared, I'd prepare to hunt Cults next.
It tied into both acquiring Psionic Enhancement Type and evolution conditions, making Cult hunting my top priority.
'Lucky I have psionic traits like Monster’s Tentacle.'
By lore, Cults believed their kind were chosen by a great will to wield psionic powers freely. They treated non-psionics like monkeys—arrogant bastards.
Psionic power was indeed mighty, so their arrogance wasn't entirely unfounded.
Against anyone but me.
'Even against me, if they get careless, it plays right into my hands.'
Their hubris was my gain. They'd dismiss my ambush and pay for it.
'Cult hunting's fine, but location's the issue.'
Cults clustered most in the administrative district, but storming it unprepared wasn't feasible. There were secret passages, but too many cameras around manholes—sneaking in like to other districts was impossible.
'Admin district's too risky before I'm stronger. Hit elsewhere first.'
Admin assault would wait until after Psionic Enhancement Type. In the meantime, the commercial district served as a substitute.
Cults shunned Mega Corp entertainment but obsessed over relics and rare gear, visiting commercial often. With extra coming for the board meeting, filling conditions should be easy.
'Surveillance is tight, but better than entertainment or admin districts.'
Risk of detection would rise, but unavoidable.
'Once residential's cleared, set up nests in the secret passages.'
The spores I'd placed there before losing the Pollution Organ had grown considerably. Adding nests in my frequented Harbor and residential areas would let me monitor enemies easily.
As I planned ahead, my auxiliary organs picked up faint footsteps.
'Hm?'
I'd cleared the entire third floor, so no footsteps should be here.
Exiting the Wolf's place, I saw a man vanishing down the far hallway. Instead of chasing, I focused my auxiliary senses on him.
"Location is C Complex, Building 3! He's not just tied to Broker S—he murdered armed bodyguards too. Hurry with backup..."
Thanks to superhuman senses, I faintly caught his radio shout.
'Cops.'
Sounded like one tracking Sander. No idea how he found out, but he knew about the bodyguards too.
'Caught on quicker than expected.'
I'd planned to fill humanoid sapients here before leaving, but that might not happen.
'What now?'
Two choices: flee or fight.
'No, fleeing's tough now.'
He'd already called backup, making escape from the building hard.
Even if I did, getting caught in a secret passage during flight would be a bigger loss. Those were my last bastion—couldn't risk exposure.
Only one path left.
'Fight.'
Devour any who came, then slip away when the chance arose.
They outnumbered and outgunned me, but superior force didn't guarantee victory.
Seeing how brutally I'd slaughtered their comrades would shake them. Their confusion would be my only escape window.
I woke Specimen 026 and Adhai from their naps.
｢Big baby, what's wrong?｣
｢I｣｢Tired｣
[Zz zz zz zzz (Prey coming)]
They probably thought they'd already caught me, but they didn't know one thing.
Aimorphs are hunters.
Mastery of pursuit and ambush—what we did best.
'Ambush.'
How an apartment providing comfort and shelter to residents transformed under an Aimorph.
What fate befell clueless humans entering an Aimorph's domain.
They'd learn soon enough.