Ch.17Spider Web (4)

Bears, lions, wolves.

These are carnivores we easily encounter through media. In media, they are portrayed as killing machines or incarnations of violence that fear no fight.

Literally machines aimed only at slaughter.

‘Is that really true?’

Those who know would understand, but this isn’t true. Most carnivores avoid fights they judge would cause significant harm. Even minor injuries can be fatal in the wild.

In reality, predators are closer to cowards than merciless terminators.

This isn’t meant as disparagement. The caution that appears cowardly is precisely what makes carnivores true hunters.

As someone who frequently played AMorph, I deeply internalized nature’s teachings.

No matter how strong my traits might be.

No matter how much information I possess.

‘Without caution, it’s all useless.’

Remembering this fact, I scouted my enemies.

Arnold’s heartbeat was stable. His earlier pretense of tension was indeed an act.

He must have analyzed me while people were dying and acted accordingly. He might not know that I detect objects through auxiliary organs and vision, but he knows I possess something like a biological radar.

‘Not bad.’

I deliberately killed soldiers cruelly to intimidate him, but it didn’t affect him at all.

He carries the scent of a hunter similar to me. The smell of an experienced predator.

Unlike me who received teachings from nature, I wonder who his teacher might be.

The plasma pistol spewed fire again. A high-temperature energy mass burned the spot where I had been just moments ago.

I ran across the bridge like a wild horse on sturdy legs, thinking about how to tackle the enemy.

‘First, his biggest weakness is the location.’

This is the bridge control room filled with sensitive electronic equipment. Even if the plasma pistol has weak firepower, it’s only “relatively” weak among plasma weapons. It’s powerful enough to pierce thick alloy plates. One wrong hit could trigger unpredictable consequences.

‘He probably didn’t want to use it originally.’

Even in the future shown by my predator sense, Arnold drew his pistol only when facing death. He too knew that using a pistol inside the ship was inappropriate.

“Crisis Management Team Leader! Remember this is the control room!”

“Be careful not to hit the machinery!”

“…I’ll be careful.”

Eusung making a fuss and team leaders agreeing with him. Despite his answer, Arnold showed no intention of putting away his pistol.

‘I see. I’m more important than the ship?’

It seems I’ve risen higher than the ship’s safety in his risk priority list.

I can understand. I’m the only obstacle in his plan. He’s decided it’s better to capture me here even if the ship gets damaged a bit.

However, despite having a powerful weapon, Arnold has several disadvantages.

His primary duty at this point is protecting the captain and team leaders. He can’t go to C-08 alone, so some of them are absolutely necessary for navigation.

‘Though he has many weaknesses…’

My conditions aren’t good either. The open space gives him good firing angles. If there weren’t computer terminals for cover, I would have been hit by the pistol long ago.

Even now, whenever I try to approach the team leaders or captain, Arnold checks me with his pistol. When I hide behind computers, he stops firing.

“Little rat bastard.”

Arnold cursed from a distance. He appeared impatient or irritated, but listening to his heartbeat, I knew better.

‘That’s deception.’

Arnold wants this standoff to continue. While keeping me in check, he called for troops throughout the ship via communicator.

“This is the bridge control room. A monster has attacked here. All available forces, converge on this location.”

‘So that’s your play?’

That bear-like fox was using his trump card to buy time. He does want to capture me here, but he clearly intends to leave the actual killing to his soldiers rather than doing it himself.

His intention is working well since his pistol has certainly made my movements more cautious.

‘Ha. Trying to deceive me is amusing.’

With that level of judgment, he’d rank above average among Space Survival players. After eating only docile sheep, I’m definitely tense seeing a wolf mixed among them.

The first crisis since becoming a Morphlet, and a difficult opponent too.

Experiencing such a situation after so long makes my fighting spirit boil.

‘I need to end this before reinforcements arrive…’

I dodged the energy mass that left the muzzle and hid behind machinery.

While pondering how to escape, a fire extinguisher caught my eye. Though different in appearance from Earth’s, it emitted the same white smoke-like extinguishing agent.

‘This could be useful.’

I quickly grabbed the extinguisher and pulled the safety pin with the small hand on my chest.

At that moment, Arnold appeared behind me with his plasma pistol. Before the pistol could fire, I activated the extinguisher first. White extinguishing agent sprayed from the hose end, blocking his vision.

“Kuk?! Such petty tricks!”

Through the white gas, a green energy mass flew toward me. I flattened myself against the ground to avoid it, then began moving on six limbs using my four combat arms and legs. Meanwhile, the small arms on my chest continued spraying the extinguisher’s contents everywhere.

“Cough! Cough!”

“I can’t see anything!”

The sealed control room filled with extinguishing agent. Coughing sounds from survivors came from all directions.

“You idiots! Are those weapons you’re carrying just decorations?”

“S-sorry, sir!”

The communication officers remaining in the control room hurriedly drew their laser pistols. But with visibility compromised by the extinguishing agent, their laser shots posed no threat to me.

“Where is it?”

“Could it be? Damn! Everyone take the captain and get outside!”

Arnold shouted as if screaming, having somewhat read my intentions. He must think I’m targeting the ship’s core, Eusung.

His intuition was good, but he chose the wrong answer.

My target isn’t the captain.

The Catering Team Leader lay collapsed before me. My tail, embedded in his stomach, quietly withdrew its poison needle as I backed away.

My teeth sank into his carotid artery region, like a predator targeting an herbivore’s neck. Human blood and flesh flowed into my body, and the small organ in my throat responded.

Now I can mimic the Catering Team Leader’s voice.

“Not that way! The captain is over here!”

“What?”

The enemies, unable to see, were confused by my voice. The captain was clearly nearby, yet suddenly someone was saying otherwise.

“Don’t be fooled! It’s using diversionary tactics!”

“Y-yes, sir!”

Arnold urged his soldiers, but the confusion didn’t easily subside. They had heard Teams A and B being annihilated over communications, but never expected to face the same fate themselves.

While the enemies were confused, my hands became stained with another victim’s blood. His luxurious uniform showed he was no ordinary high-ranking person.

I shouted in his voice.

“Don’t be deceived! It killed the team leader!”

“N-Navigation Team Leader?”

The voice belonged to the Navigation Team Leader, second in rank only to the captain. That means he outranked Crisis Management Team Leader Arnold.

“It’s mimicking the team leader’s voice!”

“You goddamn son of a bitch! Don’t be fooled!”

“I’m the Navigation Team Leader! Believe me!”

“Damn it! You idiots! That’s the monster! Shoot it dead now!”

Arnold might not realize it, but I can sense it. The communication officers’ gun muzzles are aimlessly moving between his direction and mine.

In the space where one can’t see an inch ahead as if in fog, the soldiers are being tested on their faith. On one side is their team leader, like heaven to them; on the other, a monster from the depths of space. What choice will they make?

“Aaaaargh! Fuuuuck!”

One of the communication officers finally made his decision. The muzzle of his laser pistol pointed toward the enemy in the fog of doubt.

A red flash cut through the extinguishing agent. After the light trajectory, too fast for human eyes to follow, passed, the smell of burning meat permeated the gas.

“Kuk!”

Arnold let out a pain-filled groan.

His right shoulder was blackened where the laser had hit. His hand holding the plasma pistol hung limply toward the floor. A direct hit would have taken his right arm off, but this was sufficient gain.

‘Now’s my chance.’

The diversion targeting the communication officers rather than Arnold was successful. Having more personnel doesn’t always give an advantage in combat. Allies who aren’t in sync can be worse than enemies.

He should have chosen to escape the control room with the others rather than attacking me. His biggest mistake was thinking he needed to kill me personally.

“D-damn it…!”

He didn’t give up, adjusting his grip on the pistol with his left hand. With the pistol still in hand, he seemed determined to resist to the end. His resolve, unwavering even with damaged limbs, exemplified a true soldier, but unfortunately, he had chosen the wrong opponent.

The ship’s ventilation system gradually dispersed the extinguishing agent. I hid within the remaining white cover and charged.

“Kuk! There you are!”

Perhaps due to his serious shoulder injury, he couldn’t aim properly, and the plasma shot grazed past me. Though it merely grazed me, the ultra-high temperature energy left a long burn mark on my combat arm.

For a moment, pain enough to make me scream filled my mind, but I barely endured it.

There’s no time to hesitate. The enemy isn’t leisurely enough to wait for me.

I detect the subtle vibration as the energy in Arnold’s plasma pistol charges.

Only seconds remain before that small reaper pronounces my death sentence. Meanwhile, my tail is still too far to pierce his body.

So I decided to use my final card.

Muscles on my back move according to my will. The area that would be called trapezius in humans splits open. Something black and massive gradually emerges from the gap.

Something I hadn’t brought out since becoming a Morphlet.

The trait I first acquired after becoming an AMorph.

Two enormous wings unfold, and my body instantly closes the distance to him.

His face rapidly enlarges. In his pupils fixed on me, the image of an AMorph with spread wings appears.

The AMorph reflected in his reddish-brown eyes was baring its teeth.

His index finger tightens on the plasma pistol. The green death roars as it leaves the muzzle, cutting through the air.

But the ominous bullet would never reach its target.

Behind me, I heard the plasma shot hitting the alloy wall after missing its target. It sounded like celebratory gunfire.

In my mouth, at the center of this victory ceremony, was Arnold’s head.

“Team Leader!”

One communication officer came to his senses and aimed his laser gun at me. I glared at him with Arnold’s head still in my mouth.

“…Eek!”

I’d like to leisurely tear into the meat, but there’s no time. My auxiliary organs are warning me to hurry and escape.

It seems I’ll have to postpone the feast for later.

I passed by the communication officer. He was completely frozen like a deer before a tiger. He couldn’t move until I had crawled into the ventilation duct.