Noisy City
I kept pushing forward, casually dispatching the cadavers that swarmed me one after another. These things never tired, lunging at me relentlessly. Or maybe they just had no fear? Wait, don't cadavers lack fear by nature? Yeah, they charge at anything they see. The Infiltration Origin had just evolved a bit strangely, that's all. If it could move like Tortuga, it'd be a rampaging monster. Come to think of it, even now it's not exactly tame, is it?
I shook my head and gazed toward the city center. I wondered what had become of the person skewered on that biomechanical spit. Maybe the core was there.
I reached the center quickly. Surprisingly, there were still living people there. They were shedding bloody tears from their eyes and foaming at the mouth, but they were breathing, at least. No, actually, you could call them healthy. Not just twitching moderately—they were thrashing vigorously while impaled on the spits.
I approached and examined them closely.
"Aaaagh—! Aaaaagh—! Kill me, please kill me! Just do it!"
Their voices were surprisingly robust. I scrutinized the spot where the spit pierced them. On the surface, it looked like it went straight through their bodies. I grabbed one spit and yanked it out.
The impaled man came dangling along with it. He was still writhing in agony. Would pulling this out ease his pain? I'd have to account for some bleeding, but this time I didn't need to worry. I'd perfectly absorbed medical knowledge through Chunsik's sacrifice.
I pinned the man's movements with my foot and yanked the spit out with all my strength.
"Gaaaaah—!!"
The man screamed loud enough to shatter the world. But it was fine! The spit came out in an instant. Blood gushed endlessly from the massive hole. I smiled faintly and dripped my blood onto the wound.
Should I call this one Chunsik 2? Nah, that might be too heartless. The previous Chunsik was a bad apple. Treating them the same wouldn't be polite. Alright, decided. Your name is Chunbae. Since Chunbae's a good guy, I'll treat you with extra care!
I hardened the blood I'd poured. The flow from Chunbae's huge hole stopped. Some of the blood began circulating through his body. A map of Chunbae's insides formed in my mind. Flesh, flesh, flesh. Nothing but flesh.
Surprisingly, Chunbae wasn't human! He looked like an ordinary human on the outside, but inside, he was completely dominated by the Infiltration Origin's flesh. No wonder he screamed so much when I pulled out the spit... It was like the Infiltration Origin had been experimenting on him too.
Lucky, I guess? His brain was intact, at least. Of course, it wasn't completely free of flesh, which explained why he'd lost his vocabulary.
"Kill me, kill me, please, just kill me."
Chunbae kept repeating the same plea. He didn't seem likely to survive anyway, so no need to hide my true nature.
"Shall I kill you?"
Chunbae froze. His pale blue lips trembled.
"Kill... me... please."
I started forming a massive mouth with my blood... but stopped. Hmm, feels too much like kin-slaying. The inspectors have the P.V. Virus too, so eating him might give a power boost, but it'd barely register. And honestly, I don't feel like it!
I raised my finger, aimed at Chunbae's brain, and fired without hesitation. His limbs twitched once, then went limp.
Blood began flowing from Chunbae's body again. No, it was gushing out like a torrent. His dried skin writhed grotesquely, like dozens of maggots wriggling inside.
Better to cremate him? Leaving him like this would just leave unrecognizable flesh. Yeah, quick decisions are best. Good ol' Chunbae gets a special pyre.
I bled again, this time sprinkling it carefully to cover every inch of his body. Ignite! The blood burst into flames instantly. A foul stench wafted up, mingled with the familiar aroma of roasting meat.
Soon, the corpse was reduced to ashes. First Chunsik, now Chunbae. The world really is cruel.
I looked up, watching the black smoke rise into the sky. That's when my eyes met others. They were people impaled on biomechanical spits like Chunbae. Oh right, there were others. Chunbae was so noisy I hadn't noticed.
And their eyes were fine. Unlike Chunbae, who couldn't see. They gaped at me, mouths working. At first, I didn't get the intent behind it. They shook their heads desperately, gasping sporadically. Their unnatural behavior made it clear: Chunbae's friends had ruined vocal cords!
"Shall I kill you?"
As if their nerves were linked, they nodded frantically. I raised my finger, compressed my blood, and fired. The blood bullets split into three mid-flight, piercing their heads. Their bodies slumped immediately. Soon, their skin began writhing grotesquely like before.
Chunbae's friends needed cremation too. Too much hassle to lay them down, so I splashed blood and burned them skewers and all. I even said a little prayer for their journey to a better place.
Somehow, I'd unintentionally cleared the center. Looking around slowly, I spotted a hole I hadn't noticed before. It didn't look like part of the city's original structure. The core might be in there? Even without a core, passing up a secret spot like this would be silly.
I plunged into the hole without hesitation.
Right after the Infiltration Origin's scream, Carlos gathered the survivors in one spot. In that short time, the city had lost its form. The surroundings were blanketed in bizarre flesh. It had abandoned its mimicry. No one knew why, or what it intended. The only certainty was the need to prepare now.
Cadaver howls echoed from nearby. The once-quiet city was engulfed in screams. The armed survivors trembled with tension. As expected, the cadavers swarmed.
Like newborns, pale skin revealed pulsing veins. Their bodies were packed with muscle, mismatched to their fragile look. And every cadaver looked identical. They charged the survivor outpost without hesitation.
Before the clash, Carlos checked the inspectors' conditions. They were all mobility-impaired, but few couldn't hold a gun. Defending like this was feasible; relocating would be another story.
"Aim."
The inspectors shouldered their rifles firmly. The cadavers closed in, drooling unidentifiable fluid.
"Fire!"
At Carlos's signal, triggers pulled in unison.
-Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!
The hail of bullets turned the cadavers into hives before they got close. It was stable. At this rate, they could hold against any number—as long as ammo lasted. More shooters meant more firepower.
But ammo depletion was faster than imagined. With few mobile personnel, scavenging bodies mid-fight was impossible. They'd recovered what they could earlier, but consumption outpaced supply.
What now?
No telling how long the cadavers would come. Assuming it'd end before ammo ran out was overly optimistic.
"Nova. I'm heading to the center."
"Confirmed."
It was a gamble. Reason screamed against it. But there were no better options. Staying put meant watching everyone die.
Carlos wove through the bullet storm with ease. His target: the heart of the horrifically alive city. Even if the Infiltration Origin controlled a vast area, it was still a living thing. It had to have a brain or heart somewhere. No guarantee it was central, but highest odds.
I'd entered an artificial underground cave. Or maybe "grotesque" fits better. Light barely reached inside. Without cracks in the ceiling, I wouldn't see a thing. But no big deal—my eyes see far beyond visible light! Even blind, I have ears and touch. Plenty of ways forward.
Still, better to see. For a while, only my footsteps echoed. Deeper in, artificial structures gave way to Infiltration Origin flesh. I got a bit hopeful. Maybe the core really existed.
But what I heard was... a baby's cry? Really? Lying at this point? The Infiltration Origin must've totally lost it. Fine in a staged spot, but who'd follow a baby cry in a nightmare like this!
I stomped toward the sound. So brazen it piqued my curiosity. Had to check...! Maybe this was part of its plan. If so, time to drop the "noob operator" label.
I followed eagerly. At the end, a tentacle-wrapped baby was being carried.
"Waaah!"
I'd figured fake, but up close, the cry sounded real. I lifted the cloth around it. Red eyes, pale blonde hair. More elaborate than expected. Thought it'd be some ridiculous monster scare...
Next, the outline. Looked newborn-fresh. Chubby, curved baby body. Cute. Puffy cheeks, legs, arms. Squishy, springy—kept pushing my fingers away. Finally, the smell: that sweet baby scent.
Thought the Infiltration Origin lacked a nose, but it mimicked this too? Hmm, verdict time. 100/100. First time it earns my respect. Congrats.
But... weird. What's the intent? Thought it was a prop since tentacle-wrapped. Staring more, it's confusing. Looks real...
To check closer, I swung my hand. Tentacles severed easily. A bit of blood splattered the cloth. I cradled the baby carefully. Newborn traits flooded in.
The crying stopped. Big, round eyes fixed on me. No clue. Need solid proof... Feed it blood?
I dropped a droplet. Instinctively, it opened wide and swallowed. Thought it was milk? Wait, no—not confirmed real yet.
I focused as the blood circulated: down esophagus, absorbed in stomach, spreading through veins. Microvessels mapped the outline. Deeper: muscles. Organs transparent.
Why is this real?