The Living City
1st Squad had entered the Infiltration Origin's territory and walked peacefully. Carlos felt a slight sense of relief at that. At the same time, doubts crept in. It differed somewhat from the inspectors' experiences and Nera's words.
But those doubts were quickly resolved. The moment they crossed a certain boundary, the atmosphere shifted.
"Activation Index 3.0, entire range."
Nova, checking the detector, responded not with the number of cadavers but the scope. Carlos glanced down at the detector in her hand. It was entirely red. The screen, which should have indicated cadaver locations, was simply dyed crimson.
"Does that mean this whole place is its territory?"
Nova nodded. Carlos thought to himself that they couldn't let their guard down after all and pressed on. Everything appeared normal on the surface. But Nova hadn't taken a few more steps before she halted.
-Pew!
A light blinked from the qubit. The target was the CCTV camera attached right next to a streetlamp.
"What is it?"
"Eye. Unpleasant."
Following Nova's words, Carlos examined the CCTV wreckage. Amid the smoldering ashes, faint red flesh was visible.
It's not just surrounding the area—it's watching us.
Carlos scanned the surroundings once more. At some point, an eerie noise had started— just enough to grate on the nerves. The road gave a subtle undulating feel. The visible surface resembled a normal road, but there was a faint sinking sensation beneath.
He lifted his foot and stomped down. The road shattered. What seeped from the cracks was blood.
"So this is how it is, huh."
It was truly repulsive. They hadn't even begun the main mission, yet it already felt like they were dancing in the palm of its hand. Suspect everything you see. Never let your guard down for a second. Inspector Nera's advice had been vague like that. Now Carlos truly understood its depth.
It wasn't wrong to say it could strike anytime, anywhere. Everything in sight was its skin.
"Head that way."
At the very least, they couldn't fall for its intentions. Carlos deliberately veered toward rough terrain. With each step, the sound of the road crumbling underfoot echoed. In any other situation, it might have been dangerous, but here and now, it was proof of safety.
Soon enough, even the miscellaneous noises faded.
"Nova, how's the surroundings?"
"1.0 stage. Stable."
The detector screen flickered with occasional red lights. But compared to the entire screen being flooded red earlier, it was much better.
"There might be survivors here."
The idea of humans surviving in an Infiltration Origin's territory seemed unlikely. But anyone who had made it this far would have noticed its traits and headed for real structures like this.
Was Carlos's guess correct? Not long after moving, they found bloodstains. Carlos carefully surveyed the area. He flipped over shattered road sections and had Nova scan all suspicious structures with her qubits.
"Human blood. Confirmed."
Nova's words came as she brought the detector very close.
"Follow it."
"Wh-who are you people?"
Several people were huddled in a rundown house. They eyed Carlos warily as he suddenly threw open the door. Carlos pointed emphatically to the name tag on his uniform.
"1st Squad, Captain Carlos."
"Rescue's here...! Rescue has come...!"
The inspectors began to weep. Relief at having survived washed over them. But.
Carlos's expression darkened. Every inspector's uniform was soaked in blood. About half had their lower bodies severed. The rest were merely exhausted, with no major issues.
At a glance, it looked hopeful. With a small rescue team, they could transport the wounded.
But watching this, Carlos's mood sank. It was deeply unpleasant. He sensed the Infiltration Origin's intent in their injuries. This was deep in its territory. To escape, they'd have to cross its domain at least once.
"By the way... are you two the only ones? No one else from the company?"
"Yes, there was a surviving company, but they were all too exhausted for operations."
"I see... As you can see, we have quite a few wounded. But if it's just moving them, we can manage on our own."
The inspector looked at Carlos with hopeful eyes.
"Unfortunately, it doesn't look like we can mount a full rescue."
"I figured as much..."
Carlos scanned the surroundings again. Mostly crumbling and unstable, but no immediate cadaver threat. He checked the radio from Miguel next. Static crackled, but no response—just noise.
"For now, we'll gather more survivors here. Do you know any locations?"
"Sadly, signals don't reach well here..."
"Understood. Stay put. We'll scout and direct any survivors here."
Finishing the talk, Carlos left the survivor cluster. Out on the road, he unfolded the map. Before searching, he needed to assess the terrain. Knowing the rough size and building layout would make searches efficient.
After studying the map for a while, Carlos concluded. Naturally, saving everyone had been impossible from the start. He'd check as much as possible, but with just two, limits were clear.
"Nova, start with the nearest building."
Nova nodded. The pair ventured back into the Infiltration Origin's domain.
Carlos poured a long time into rescue operations. He saved a few, but couldn't save others. Or rather, some had been dead for a while. Sometimes, the mere presence of "living" humans was bait.
He witnessed many horrors. One person was being gruesomely digested inside a building amid acidic fluids. Bones and flesh chunks floated on green liquid, accompanied by a nose-piercing stench.
No strong emotions stirred. In this line of work, you saw death countless times. Carlos left without lingering.
The others weren't much different. Slowly melting in digestive sacs or swallowed whole. That was the only variation.
Those on the brink of death. No healthy survivors in the domain. All were half-dead wrecks.
Fortunately, transport was no issue. Nova's qubits shifted form into carriers. The squad's firepower dropped, but repelling Infiltration Origin attacks was easy. Thorns from the ground, spurts of acid—crude assaults neutralized by a few blank rounds.
The constant interference was merely annoying. Oddly, as 1st Squad handled crises adeptly, its reactions dwindled. Now, it barely attacked.
As Carlos organized his thoughts, 1st Squad returned to the survivor hub. Many had gathered, thanks to their efforts. Faces bright with hope of escape.
But most were wounded. More immobile than mobile now. The Infiltration Origin hadn't killed them outright. It crippled them just enough to prevent flight, leaving them breathing.
Carlos suddenly thought of a fish farm. His mood plummeted. Could he abandon them? These lives he'd worked to save—by his own hand.
The survivors couldn't be forsaken either. Carlos steadied his breath. His heart was conflicted.
"Captain."
"...What is it?"
"Call."
Carlos's gaze followed Nova's finger. A man clung to his back. The only uninjured survivor from the domain—and a civilian, not an inspector. From the inspectors' talk, he'd been rescued during their operation.
"What's the matter?"
"Enforcer, sir... I know I'm imposing, but could you grant one request?"
"Speak."
"There's a baby here. A woman had it, but we lost track during rescue. If you have time, could you look? Thinking of that tiny life in this place unsettles me."
"Understood. Is that all?"
"Yes, thank you."
Carlos watched the man walk away.
"Nova, think it's alive?"
"Impossible."
An ordinary baby? No reason to spare it, unlike P.V. Virus carriers like inspectors. The man probably came to him because others dodged the question.
More pressingly, Carlos needed a decision. Dusk approached. Rescues had burned time without solution. He felt properly ensnared in its trap.
Change was needed. Something to create a massive breach, neutralize the domain in one go.
-Kieeeek!
Suddenly, the domain screamed. All mimicry unraveled. Terrain twisted. Roads rippled, buildings revealed flesh. Tentacles rose everywhere; grotesque eyes of all sizes fixed on survivors and 1st Squad.
"Damn it."
At least, not the change Carlos had hoped for.
*****
The Operator was pissed. So furious it spewed tentacles at me along my path, trying to smack me silly. I lightly batted them away like playing with a toy. They burst into blood and flesh, scattering—but the Operator didn't quit.
Do I disgust you that much? Or is this its way of showing fondness? Hard to believe an intelligent cadaver like an Infiltration Origin wouldn't grasp the power gap. I'd casually deflected its desperate full-force strike. If anything, its wide-open maw had backfired, wounding itself badly.
Yeah, I get it now. Guess I haven't been hit enough!
I raised my arm. Veins bulged along it. With a splat, blood erupted from my arm—not scattering, but coalescing into a massive, elongated "giant tentacle maw," far bulkier than the Operator's.
I swung it wide, carving the ground. The huge jaws met earth with crunching sounds. Black exterior, red innards... like a coffee bun stuffed with strawberry jam. Sadly, no taste— I controlled it, but no nerves connected. It was just attached. Detachable, but easier attached.
-Kieeeek!
The Operator screamed again. What's with it? Not the first time. Domain-type cadavers shouldn't feel pain much, right? Yet it acted agonized. Never seen a domain-type thrash like this. Rookie inexperience?
I kept devouring visible targets. Still resisting? More beatings needed! Munching buildings like dessert picks.
As expected, the Operator bit back with tentacles. Then weirder stuff emerged! Its ace: the 24-hour Cadaver Plant. Couldn't make 5.0 specimens—max 4.0 stage. But clones could combine organs, not just mimic. With linker traits, the muscular agile cadavers had linker powers too. Not all visible; hiding in blind spots.
Sigh... tedious raids aren't my thing. And now, it wasn't toying with me—I was toying with it. Like wrist-twisting to show strength.
Just destroy it? Theme park turned factory. Core well-hidden, but barrage of blood spores might kill it eventually?
Good idea. I gathered blood. Aimed haphazardly at the ground for blood spores—
-Rat-tat-tat-tat!
Gunfire echoed nearby. Loud enough to snap me alert. Oh, right—others here too.
I hesitated; cadavers closed in. Fine, die!
-Whoosh!
Blood split into tendrils, piercing their brains instantly. Distant gunfire continued, but here went quiet.
I pondered to the gunfire's rhythm. Hmm... it'll tire eventually. In a way, I've resolved things!