Ch.131Beyond the Deep Sea (1)

“I wanted to see who did this.”

As I made my way here, someone had closed all the partition doors in the corridors. I pressed my face against the reinforced glass to see who had done such an annoying thing, and the survivors went absolutely hysterical.

The people in the quarantine zone rushed out as soon as the door on the other side opened.

I pulled my head away from the reinforced glass as I watched their retreating figures.

“Eeeek!”

A survivor caught by me made eye contact as I turned my head. He made a sound like a chicken with its windpipe blocked.

I couldn’t see his expression because of the helmet he was wearing, but I could easily tell what he was feeling.

I should probably end his fear quickly.

I tightened my combat hand and squeezed his body.

“Agagakgagak!”

Incomprehensible sounds came from inside the helmet as his reinforced suit was crushed. After his final death throes, the human went limp in my hand.

I stripped off his reinforced suit with my claws and tore off pieces of flesh to put in my mouth.

‘I could just chew it whole, but…’

The reinforced suits they wear focus solely on the wearer’s survival, making them extremely durable.

Simply put, they’re very tough. Not that I can’t eat them, but they keep getting stuck in my teeth, which is annoying.

I leisurely broke down the door to the quarantine zone while munching on the humans I’d caught. The seawater that had filled my section flowed out into Corridor C.

‘Now, let’s check another section.’

Following the current, I slowly entered and turned toward the next section, Section D, instead of following where the survivors had run.

‘Their actions are all in the palm of my hand anyway.’

I already know what the survivors are thinking. They might think I can’t chase them because they move faster, but they’re wrong.

Do they think it’s because I’m really slow, or because I have trouble breaking through the partition doors?

No.

I’m just taking my time to give despair to those who tormented No. 26 and Adhigh Orr.

‘Hope can be the driving force of life…’

But it can also become pain.

What awaits them where they’ve fled is not salvation.

Someone who desires revenge against ‘bad humans’ is waiting for them.

‘I’d like to watch it hunt too, but…’

There are many living people in this base. I need to hurry and extract information from them.

Around the time the corridor filled with just enough water for my prone body to barely submerge, I sensed an alien movement.

‘Hmm?’

From that moving thing came a metallic smell fundamentally different from the saltiness of brine.

Five huge metal masses, each about 4 meters in size.

After a brief moment of consideration, I quickly realized what these metal masses were.

MCAE (Multipurpose Construction Auxiliary Equipment), a megacorp-specific construction machine similar to but different from Star Union’s walker.

The MCAE is a construction machine inspired by resource harvesting machines from classic space strategy simulations.

Simply put, it’s like a space loader with various construction-related functions and flight capabilities added.

‘Why is an MCAE here?’

The reason I didn’t recognize it immediately was because it was so unexpected.

MCAE is equipment mainly used for large-scale projects like space city construction. It’s not something you’d expect to see in the deep sea, far from outer space.

I headed toward the smell to investigate further.

After passing through a narrow corridor, I came to an open space that looked like a warehouse, where I saw 5 activated MCAEs and 3 Fishrians.

“…says. He smells the demon.”

“Damn, it escaped after all.”

“We need to get out of this base quickly.”

“We must flee before Father gets angry.”

“The elevator is straight ahead this way.”

The MCAEs, with their flight function turned off indoors, were moving on wheels that had been hidden inside. The two arms attached to the sides of the upper cockpit were equipped with large torches used for door closure and metal injectors used for building repairs.

Unlike the ones I saw earlier, these Fishrians held harpoons in their hands. The overall shape was similar to a pilum, but with the unique characteristic of having a spiral-shaped blade.

That harpoon is the traditional weapon of the Fishrians that injured Adhigh Orr.

Normally, Fishrian harpoons are roughly made with common metals, but the ones they held were black like obsidian. They were clearly made with metal containing Black Silver.

‘Were they the ones who attacked Adhigh Orr?’

Since harpoons made of Black Silver wouldn’t be common, these three must be the ones who injured Adhigh Orr.

‘Then I can’t let them go.’

I maintained my submerged state and slowly approached the MCAE group. At that moment, a fish-human with spines on its head and back looked in my direction.

It tilted its head, then, as if sensing my presence, shouted loudly.

“Smell! I smell it!”

The other two Fishrians joined in and squawked loudly.

“Blood smell!”

“The one who killed our kind is here!”

Judging that hiding was no longer meaningful, I rose up. The Fishrians’ eyes widened as they saw me glowing red from the emergency lights.

“What is that!”

“Monster! The monster that killed our kind!”

I charged at them, cutting through the water. Corrosive tentacles from my back struck down at where the Fishrians were, like vipers that had found prey.

“Keuruk! Die!”

“Offer as sacrifice!”

Unlike the ones I met earlier, these three Fishrians seemed quite old. They dodged my corrosive tentacles with nimble movements and clung to my back.

“Keuruk? It’s hard!”

They gnawed at my outer shell with their poisonous claws and teeth, but it was useless. There’s no way their fragile bodies could break through armor that wouldn’t be destroyed even by a direct hit from a plasma launcher.

Realizing their bare hands weren’t working, they began stabbing me frantically with their harpoons. The Black Silver material would have harmed Adhigh Orr or No. 26, but they chose the wrong opponent.

Six corrosive tentacles extended from my back at once and struck the Fishrians. Two of them dodged, but one who couldn’t evade was hit by my tentacle and knocked away.

“Take this!”

An MCAE shot liquefied metal from its metal injector at me.

The metal that stuck to my body, half-submerged in the cold water, hardened instantly. My combat arm with the metal mass attached became extremely heavy.

‘Trying to reduce my mobility, eh?’

Judging that my movements had slowed, the MCAE began burning my eyes with a large torch.

It’s impossible to harm me with an industrial torch, but the hot heat in my eyes is quite irritating.

I swung my combat arm with the cooled metal mass attached in a wide arc.

My target was the MCAE’s cockpit. The cockpit, large enough for one person, was severely dented by my arm.

“Kuk!”

Unless the pilot was about one-third the size of a normal person, they wouldn’t survive. The two arms of the out-of-control MCAE went limp and ceased operation.

After silencing one construction machine, I struck down a Fishrian flying toward my head with my combat arm. With a sound like a hammer cracking a walnut, the Fishrian’s head shattered.

Meanwhile, another one ran from the opposite side and climbed onto my tail. It tried to use its harpoon as a lever to pry open the gaps between my armor plates.

I raised the tail it was riding above the water surface and rotated my entire body. The Fishrian grabbed my tail armor to avoid falling off. But that was its mistake.

“Uh, uhhh?”

“Dodge!”

My tail cut through the water, targeting two MCAEs. They tried to retreat in dismay to find an opportunity to attack, but I was faster. My heavy tail swept through the 4-meter-sized MCAEs.

“Kkeok!”

The Fishrian hanging on my tail turned into a bloody mist as it collided with the solid metal machine. One construction machine that took a direct hit from my attack had its entire upper body, including the cockpit, completely blown off, while the other was thrown into the air and crashed into the wall.

“R-run away!”

Now only two remained. The MCAEs, having lost all their comrades in an instant, quickly retreated backward.

‘Should I leave both of them.’

I originally planned to leave just one, but I changed my mind. I swam leisurely after the construction machines.

The killing of the Sea Demon, the cooperative relationship with the Fishrians, the unexpected presence of MCAEs in a deep-sea research base, and so on.

I have many questions to ask them.

–

“Huk, huk, huk, huk.”

“Hik, hik, it’s not following us anymore! Hik, hik.”

“Huk, huk, don’t be stupid! Keep running!”

In the corridor connecting Section C to the central section where the underwater elevator was located.

In the pitch-black water contrasted by the red emergency lights, there was a group.

They were a group of survivors led by Team Leader Runan, wearing thick reinforced suits resembling spacesuits. Sixteen men, exhausted both physically and mentally, struggled forward through the water.

“It entered Section C! Huk, huk, we need to go quickly before it catches up!”

They knew all too well what the slowly but steadily rising water meant.

Somewhere in that invisible water, it was coming.

Whenever that thought crossed their minds, the team members could keep running like racehorses whipped with a riding crop.

“I can see the door to the central section!”

“Check if the inside is flooded!”

While a research team member checked the inside with a still-functioning terminal, Runan and the other team members watched for any sign of the creature.

The eerily glowing emergency lights, the gently rippling water surface, the irregular sound of dripping water.

“Huk, huk, huk.”

“Hik, hik, hik.”

And the panting of team members heard through the communicators.

Every element in this space was eating away at their sanity.

Suddenly, Runan had a thought.

What if all of this was intended by “it”?

What if all escape routes had already been blocked by the creature, and the remaining survivors were destined to die after being toyed with like mice before a cat?

‘Me, die? Don’t make me laugh!’

There had been many events in Runan’s journey from being born in the Ganymede colony of Jupiter to becoming a Prime Capital of Mars. He had done everything to please the governor’s assistant dispatched from House Zhao.

As a result, he was able to marry the assistant from House Zhao and acquire the qualification of a Prime Capital.

‘After all I’ve done to get this position!’

Runan hadn’t yet properly enjoyed the life of the Megacorp upper class. If he died here, he would be too resentful to close his eyes properly.

“I’ve confirmed some damage inside, but it’s not flooded!”

His subordinate’s shout woke Runan from his reverie.

Fortunately, the central section was intact.

Runan and his team members hurriedly entered the airlock. After the water drainage process was completed, they entered the central section.

Five submersibles resembling escape vessels were arranged near the wall, and in the center was a large cylinder with a gate.

The cylinder was an underwater elevator. If they entered the cylinder by riding a submersible, they could move to a location close to the water surface via the elevator.

“Internal pressure stable!”

“That’s a relief.”

“Kheuk, kek, hwooo…”

“Uwaaaeaek!”

Perhaps because they had reached a safe place, some team members who had removed their helmets were vomiting while lying down.

“We’ll recharge oxygen here and move up by submersible.”

“When will the rescue team arrive?”

“We’ve already sent communications, so it shouldn’t take long.”

“Yes, sir.”

As they were each doing their tasks, such as recharging oxygen, one team member screamed.

“The submersible is damaged!”

“What?”

All the survivors who heard this had their faces freeze. Runan hurriedly began checking the other submersibles.

‘This can’t be?!’

Of the 5 he checked, 3 were already damaged.

One submersible can accommodate a maximum of 3 people. And there were sixteen survivors present. Even if the remaining 2 were intact, they had already far exceeded the maximum capacity.

“This is absurd! We’re all dead!”

“W-wait! If we somehow repair them…”

“Stupid talk! If anything goes wrong during repairs, we’ll all die while going up the elevator!”

“Shit, then do you have any other ideas?”

“How about entering the elevator and enduring with our reinforced suits?”

“That might work in space, but this is the deep sea. No matter how sturdy the reinforced suits are, they can’t withstand the pressure.”

“Damn it, you just keep saying nothing works! What do you suggest we do then?”

“You bastard!”

With their last hope shattered, the team members could no longer hold back.

Some grabbed others by the collar and started fistfights. Some just sat down and cried like children. Some cursed while gesturing at the air.

Amidst the chaos, Runan barely maintained his composure and thought.

‘Two submersibles left. This one next to me looks intact from the outside.’

As he was about to open the door to check the inside of the submersible, one team member pointed at him.

“Runan, you son of a bitch! Get away from there right now!”

“You damn bastard! If the submersible is intact, you were planning to escape alone, weren’t you?”

“Ahem, w-what are you talking about?”

The gazes of the team members, who had been antagonizing each other, all turned toward Runan.

‘That bastard…!’

Runan inwardly cursed while fidgeting with the Gauss rifle he was holding.

Excluding him, there were fifteen people left. Since Runan was a researcher, not a soldier, it wouldn’t be easy to subdue so many people with just one gun.

He might kill a few, but if the rest attacked him during that time, that would be the end.

So he decided to take a different approach.

“Stop!”

Runan shouted with all his might. His cry echoed throughout the spacious central section. Even the team members who had been looking at him with hostile eyes were startled and shrank back.

“Liwen! Dajing! Don’t you know me better than that! Do you think I was trying to escape alone?”

“Yes! Don’t think we don’t know what you’re thinking…”

“Nonsense! Even as we argue like this, that thing is getting closer to us! How can you all be in your right minds, wasting time on such useless matters!”

“W-well…”

The team members’ eyes wavered at Runan’s words. Thinking that things were going according to his plan, Runan continued.

“Yes, sometimes life can be desperate. Things that seem bad can get worse. I know, and you know, that there’s a monster out there targeting us, and the nature of this deep sea is trying to crush us.”

Runan took a step forward as he passionately spoke.

“But! This level of hardship is nothing compared to the harsh life on Ganymede! There, it’s not uncommon for hundreds of people to freeze to death at once when temperature control devices break down! Do you know what kind of people survive in such situations?”

“…”

Runan made eye contact with each team member. All the while, he didn’t forget to check the distance to the submersible.

‘Good.’

Now he was close enough to open the submersible’s door with just a reach of his hand.

“Only those who work together to overcome difficulties survive! Understand? Do you want to die here crying like children? Or do you want to combine forces and survive?”

“W-well…”

“Look at the faces of your colleagues! There you’ll find the escape route!”

As the team members looked at each other’s faces after hearing those words, Runan quickly grabbed the submersible’s door handle.

‘Opportunity!’

Open this door, get in, and activate it immediately.

Thinking only of that, Runan opened the door.

And.

“Ah?”

Instead of the mechanical devices that should have been visible as soon as the door opened, there was something pink and soft. Then, pink tentacles shot out at incredible speed and grabbed Runan’s limbs.

Before he could scream, the tentacles pulled Runan’s body into the submersible.

Wudeuk wudeudeuk wujik

Eerie sounds coming from inside the submersible. There were no screams or groans of pain.

Eventually, red blood flowed out from under the submersible’s door.

“Uh, uh? T-team leader?”

The team members muttered blankly, unable to believe what had happened before their eyes. As if in response to their words, bundles of long tentacles shot out from inside the submersible’s door.

“Hiiiiiek!”

Wujijik kwadeuk

“Aaaah! It’s got me! Aaaaaa!”

Ttuduk eugeugek kwajik

“Everyone run awaaaaay!”

The tentacles grabbed the nearest team members one by one and dragged them into the submersible. The only sounds heard afterward were chilling noises of bones breaking or skin tearing.

The central section, which the survivors had considered their last escape route.

There, only silent screams filled the space.