Ch.122122. You’ve Been Kidnapped

Having realized that psychic phenomena were occurring inside the ship, the Lokists tried to exit the vessel according to their map to share information and resupply, but… a problem arose.

(Captain, there should be…)

(Yes, there should be stairs here). (I know that very well).

First, there was a discrepancy between the map and the actual space. The fact that this was happening with a map they had drawn themselves—not one acquired from inside—meant that physical changes were truly occurring within the ship, distorting the structure of the corridors.

(What about the briefing team?)

(…Connection, lost). (Captain, please make a decision).

Additionally, communication with the briefing team waiting outside had been severed, which dramatically increased the danger level since they could no longer receive support from the team that had been handling mapping and identifying nearby threats.

While they could still communicate with other teams inside, it seemed extremely difficult to rendezvous with each other in this vast ship when they weren’t even certain of their current position.

As a result, these Lokist pirates wandered aimlessly through the ship’s interior, unable to move forward or backward. Occasionally, they encountered animated corpses and fought them off.

And after dozens of such battles—

(Ugh… so hungry).

(Food, food, food, fooood…)

(Weapons all broken… what do we do now).

Even the exceptional Lokists were inevitably being worn down.

Of course, there were no casualties.

The Lokists were equipped with exoskeletons that could deflect ship-grade laser rifles capable of punching holes through human bodies, and possessed strength dozens of times greater than humans. Because of this, even if they ran out of ammunition, they would never lose in close combat.

But the problem was the fact that they were being depleted.

With their high metabolic rates, they had already eaten all their prisoners to recover their rapidly depleting stamina, but it wasn’t enough. They were barely managing to restore their strength with abandoned combat rations found throughout the ship.

And although their technological prowess was advanced enough to produce laser muskets from primitive forges, they were ultimately limited to crude melee weapons made by hammering metal.

For example, Kirish, a regular combatant, had broken his laser musket while using it as a spear, his dagger had lost its edge from cutting through too many corpses, and his backup hand axe had snapped its blade, rendering it unusable.

At least his auxiliary weapon, a metal club (mace), was still somewhat serviceable, and occasionally they could modify tools found on the ship into weapons.

So when Kirish, armed with a makeshift quarterstaff made from a mop handle attached to an industrial monkey wrench and a shabby temporary shield made of wooden board reinforced with metal plates, was walking through the ship with similarly equipped comrades…

‘…Again?’

KRRRAAAAAAA!!!

They encountered corpses once more, so many times today they had lost count.

Kirish stared with weary eyes at the approaching corpses, which were, as always, wielding simple weapons and making gurgling sounds as they charged. Then, just as he had done countless times before, he raised his quarterstaff above his head—and brought it down with all his might.

WHOOSH—CRACK!!

With the combined weight of the quarterstaff and Kirish’s monstrous strength, the rotting skull of the corpse shattered instantly, tumbling to the floor.

CRACK!

He then pushed away another corpse lunging at him with his shield, swung his quarterstaff to smash its head, and forcefully shoved away a corpse that was about to attack his comrade.

SLASH!

Without hesitation, that comrade who had nearly been attacked chopped the corpse’s neck with a fire axe, then immediately used the butt end of the axe handle to strike the corpse’s head, paralyzing it.

Such scenes were visible wherever Lokist pirates were present.

Slashing, dismembering, and crushing for about five minutes. The corpses, which had seemed to be coming endlessly, eventually stopped appearing, and the exhausted Lokists sat quietly resting among the gradually disappearing bodies.

But just then.

WOOOOONG…!

Suddenly, the interior lights came on and the internal systems activated, and the entire ship began to move as if taking off again.

(Captain, this is—).

(I know)! (Everyone, hurry)!

Naturally aware of the changes occurring inside, the Lokists tried to physically break through the walls using explosives and shotguns they had been saving, but… the suspiciously sturdy walls didn’t budge at all.

WOONG—.

(…Are we too late).

And finally, after a momentary weakening of gravity, the ship’s artificial gravity system activated, causing strange gravitational changes in the Lokists’ bodies. They were now trapped in this erratically moving ship with no way out.

(Wh-what do we do)?

(I don’t know… I miss my mom (sister)…)

(C-could it be that those bastards sold us to humans)? (This was just bait all along…)

‘(…Is that so)?’

Amid the confusion and spread of rumors and superstitions among the Lokist pirates—who couldn’t have failed to notice these changes—even the pirate captain, who should have been controlling the situation, was convinced by these rumors.

Though one might think they wouldn’t betray each other since they were a group primarily composed of relatives and family members, these creatures were originally the galaxy’s trash—the worst kind of space pirates for whom crime was as natural as breathing and betrayal was a way of life.

Therefore, having half-convinced himself that this was the betrayal of that damned boss, the captain persuaded his team.

(Alright, let’s go, Captain)!

(…Can we do it)?

Regardless of their true feelings, the Lokists outwardly agreed, and the captain decided they should head toward the bridge where the ship was being controlled to negotiate.

So, with a clear purpose now, they moved forward. Along the way, they joined another team also searching for the bridge, and after much walking—all 409 Lokist pirates somehow managed to reach the tightly sealed bridge.

(Exploding, detonation)!

KABOOOOOOM!!!

After blasting open the tightly locked door with breaching explosives, the Lokists entered the bridge—a space as large as a decent hotel lobby—with their heavily armored troops at the front. What they saw first was—

(F-fuck…)

(Urgh, urp)!

A massive reddish-brown mass of flesh stuck to the corner of the bridge, continuously spewing out corpses from what appeared to be its mouth, producing them endlessly.

KRRRAAAAAAA!!!!

Naturally, the large number of corpses that had accumulated there opened their eyes and rushed at the entering Lokists, but the armored troops responded coolly.

CLICK, BOOM—! CLICK, BOOM—! CLICK, BOOM—!

They advanced forward, methodically firing pump shotguns, shredding the approaching corpses.

Other pirates covered the gaps created during reloading, concentrating their firepower with remaining grenades.

Having quickly rendered numerous corpses immobile, they approached the flesh mass and threw bombs—hand grenades—at it. At that very moment.

KABOOOOM!!!

■■■■■■■■■—!!!!

After the bomb exploded and shattered the flesh mass, suddenly a pain-filled howl echoed throughout the ship as if it were wailing. The entire vessel shook—and began to transform.

The walls, which had been relatively clean despite some contamination, turned into walls of meat and flesh. The steel floor changed into a material reminiscent of insect chitin exoskeletons.

The lights became golden-colored eyeballs, various equipment transformed into organ-like biological parts, and the ceiling pipes and wires changed into intestines and blood vessels.

No, to be precise, this wasn’t a transformation.

This massive protein-based biological ship was revealing its true form; it would be more accurate to say it had returned to its state without mimicry.

From the beginning, its crash had been a trap to capture them.

Only now did the pirate captain remember that small pirate groups had been disappearing without a trace recently… but it was already too late.

The moment the yellow eyeballs, which had been disguised as lights, gazed upon them, all 409 Lokist pirates froze stiff in their positions and collapsed to the floor.