Chapter 70
Chapter 70
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 70
Chapter Title: The Moving Signal
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Vickers couldn't believe what was happening right in front of him.
Signals popping up one after another on the management console screen.
It was chaos incarnate.
'What the hell is going on?!'
It was clearly an emergency, but Vickers didn't immediately dispatch Squad 4.
'...Assess the situation first.'
Vickers called in the Crisis Management Subteam Leader and the Human Resources Management Team Leader, who were out at the site with him.
A burly man and a woman in neat attire entered the camp to meet Vickers.
"Take a look at this."
"What is this?"
"Hmm..."
Both let out groans as they stared at the management console screen. They hadn't anticipated anything like this either.
Vickers asked the subteam leader.
"Could this be some kind of radio interference or error?"
"We've been having city-wide radio instability issues due to recent EMP countermeasures, but nothing like this."
"So all these are deserters?"
"It's unlikely, but probably..."
The subteam leader trailed off. Vickers turned to the Human Resources Management Team Leader.
The team leader shook her head firmly, as if it were absolutely impossible.
"No way. They all have obedience devices implanted in their brains. They know deserting means death."
"Can we cross-check the deserters against the obedience device signals right here?"
"You mean compare the two signals?"
"Exactly."
"Let's check."
The team leader operated her terminal pad and linked it to the signal manager. After tapping away for a while, two types of signals appeared on the screen.
The two signal types overlapped perfectly in position.
"This can't be right. Looks like they all deserted after all."
"How is that possible?"
"Beats me. First time for me too."
The team leader fiddled with the pad a few more times in disbelief, but the results were the same.
Dozens of signals rioting across the screen. All of them deserters defying orders.
'All from Squad 3.'
Did Squad 3 have a particularly high number of agitators?
He shot the question at the team leader with a glance, but she flatly denied it.
"T&C Special Trade Center always provides customers with only the highest quality goods. We strictly inspect everything—any defects mean immediate disposal, no delivery."
"Hm."
Vickers figured she was right. If this happened often, the center couldn't operate.
"Subteam Leader. Something's off with these signals."
"Off how?"
"The deserter signals are clustered in a few spots."
"They're bunching up and moving together?"
"Even assuming that, they're too close. Like one or two people carrying multiple devices and chips."
"Chips maybe, but devices can't be removed by individuals. They're buried deep in the brain—needs special equipment."
A thought flashed through Vickers' mind as he listened.
'It's a trap.'
The monster they were hunting was cunning. He didn't know the trick, but this could be its doing. Couldn't rule it out.
'It has various special abilities. Maybe even mind control over humans.'
The Ezerton Silver Knight Order had collected genes for Hulk mutants.
Meaning they'd fought ultra-dangerous wild creatures multiple times.
Vickers had survived brutal battles where over half his comrades died. He never underestimated enemies.
"Human Resources Team Leader."
"Yes?"
"I think the enemy set a trap. So I'm asking—can you activate the obedience devices from here?"
"......"
Activating them unleashes intensely harmful electromagnetic waves to the body.
Powerful enough to microwave the brain like an egg.
Obviously, no one survives a melted brain.
'If signals keep moving after activation, the monster's there.'
Vickers assumed the monster carried signal devices.
Either controlling deserters somehow or having eaten them, chips inside. One way or another, the monster had some.
The subteam leader nodded at Vickers' idea, but the team leader looked displeased.
She furrowed her well-groomed brows and spoke.
"These are rented assets we've promised. Not my place, but are you planning to waste valuable resources?"
"No such thing. Not throwing them away. The target's a high-intelligence hazard. Smart enough to disrupt signals using deserters."
"Is that true? Subteam Leader?"
"I agree with the deputy leader. It's evaded androids and police nets in the port and residential districts multiple times. Exposing its scheme with bait is to our advantage."
"Most signals will stop when activated. Any that keep moving—that's our monster."
The team leader countered.
"We keep obedience devices at max output for emergencies. EM waves will shut down the signals too."
"No issue. Military-grade—they withstand strong EM and impacts."
She sighed shortly at the subteam leader's reply.
"...Hope it's not wasted. Activating obedience devices."
She manipulated the terminal pad. Soon, a confirmation prompt appeared.
She tapped lightly, and the signals on screen froze like time stopped.
Those who dreamed vain dreams of freedom in the sewers.
They died in the filth.
'Where are you? Where?'
All three held their breath, eyes glued to the screen.
Beep.
'Got it!'
One signal started moving again.
Vickers snatched his communicator.
"Squad 1, Vickers! To Squads 2 and 3: the moving signal is it! Send standby units—hunt it down!"
｢Squad 2 Jacob, roger.｣
｢Und, er, stood.｣
While communicating, Vickers secretly pressed a button on the small device in his pocket. That should've signaled Yanek on the surface too.
'You! I won't let you escape!'
Operation Ghost Hunt.
Vickers had no doubt it would succeed.
-
'Human psychology is truly wondrous.'
Once suspicion starts, it snowballs endlessly. But once belief sets in, even obvious 'weirdness' gets overlooked.
Just like now.
On the makeshift bone structure I'd piled up ahead, a silver helmet dangled.
If asked where its owner went, half was in my gut, half smashed and held in my combat arm.
'Things are going smoothly.'
The enemies still had no clue what happened here.
I bit into the knight's leg I held.
Like cracking a boiled crab, sweet flesh and juices spilled from the hard armor.
One great Aimorph perk: teeth tough enough to chew armored crab sans tools.
'The hires were honestly meh, but this guy's a relief.'
I'd eaten dozens of non-parasitized humans, but they all tasted off.
Not just bland—Predation Effect triggered only once.
'Still, got a good trait out of it for comfort.'
The trait from the hires: 'Handiwork'.
As named, enhances hand function for crafting.
With it, my chest's small arms gained versatility.
Like this bone structure before me.
Made by gathering hire bones and flesh with small arms.
A shallow hole in the sewer floor, bones fixed atop—solid enough against all but heavy impacts.
Unless I stir major currents, it won't collapse.
So I could casually hang the knight's helmet and dine.
'Modified humans really taste better.'
Like a flavor threshold. After crap food, something good hits euphoric—humming tunes.
I devoured the knight's remains, grabbed the communicator, and rose.
'By now, they've noticed the underground chaos?'
I'd ambushed 5 teams of hires entering the sewers first, parasiting one per team, rest killed.
Waited till they looped their routes.
'After checkpoints, they swap routes.'
Full loop, all Squad 3 teams converge. Back at start cavern—where I'd been.
Waiting wasn't the knight, but me.
Hunted all but the 5, distributed chips/devices from dead to them.
One complained about carrying barehanded—I growled, 'Swallow them.'
No need to hold—my snarl, they obeyed meekly.
One kept devices/chips internally, rest released. Go topside or whatever.
'Escape impossible anyway.'
Future fixed, but hope lingered. Believing escape meant life, they left the cavern.
'Time's up—grab this too.'
I snatched the swimming corpse catfish. It thrashed, but a squeeze calmed it.
Carrying live one, I approached the sole unreleased hire.
Far off, a silhouette slogged through sludge.
Squad 15 survivor Brody—first ambushed. Ordered to stick to original path just in case.
I neared; he trembled, handed over device and chip.
"Th-this means you let me go? Right?"
No need to answer.
These folks die regardless—even sans activation. Infected by my cosmic bacteria.
"Pl-please! Please spare m—urk?!"
Begging Brody froze mid-plea, clutching his head.
"A-aaagh! Aaghh! It hurts so much! Aaagh!"
He screamed wildly, forgetting I was there.
Smoke from ears, hands scorching red as he clawed.
'It began.'
Detected deserters, activated obedience devices.
Brody on path suffering too—looks like they plan to kill all Squad 3 hires.
Then, intense waves/heat from the device in my hand.
Obedience EM waves are brutal. Normals suffer just holding it.
'Designed that way.'
I eyed the device spewing lethal EM on my palm.
My Aimorph body? Unaffected.
Aimorph skin: high fire resistance, radiation immunity, etc., even sans traits. Survives space awhile.
Fades in this plasma, psy, transcendent-weapon Space Survival world.
Anyway, Brody sans tough Aimorph brain couldn't block it. Fully cooked, he collapsed.
I ditched the dead device, fed the signal chip to the catfish. Slashed its skin deep.
'Normally parasites, but...'
My 5 parasites? All dead.
Brain-melters killed brain-bound ones controlling hires.
Replenish eventually, but not now.
So monitor catfish via blood scent.
'It's bait.'
Confirmed bleeding, released it. Panicked, it fled into sewer dark.
I dove, sensing blood with sub-jaw organs. Easy trace in water.
'They'll think the catfish is the monster.'
Chip and device in one body; activation kills host.
Chip moves anyway? Only conclusion: it's the monster.
'Figure I'm eating people and moving.'
Now they'll chase full-force.
Like splitting underground teams, surface standbys likely scattered.
'Catfish fast—they'll hurry max.'
Unlikely surface teams gather first slow-chase; risk losing, restart search.
Strike while split chasing catfish.
'Divide and conquer.'
Devoured Brody clean, pursued the catfish.
While enemies split-track it, I'll tail them.
When they reach false target and cheer—that's my strike moment.
Like their trap on me, mine on them.
They baited; I baited back.
This sewer becomes the arrogant enemies' grave—the silver knight's tomb.