Ch.314Relic (1)

When people who first encounter Space Survival are asked about the similarities between AMorph and Outspacer, most give similar answers.

Both were created based on famous alien life forms.

When you actually play these races, you can feel similarities to the originals. Features like how an individual’s appearance changes depending on the genetic base of the infected organism, or how they operate massive colonies.

Let’s slightly change who we’re asking. What if we ask players who have enjoyed the game for a long time?

Then the answer would be this:

Both races use “genetic essence” as a resource.

The reason AMorph and Outspacer prey on other creatures is to steal the genetic essence contained in their bodies. The core gameplay is to “specialize” the characteristics of the genetic owner to evolve oneself or one’s colony.

So when do AMorph and Outspacer players feel most troubled?

Without saying it twice, it’s when there’s a problem with the “traits” that are core to gameplay.

When you obtain traits that work against the owner, when you die and lose traits, or when you can’t use core traits for whatever reason, the game becomes almost impossibly difficult.

So if you’re planning to fight these two races, you need to prevent them from utilizing their traits. Physically remove the parts that activate traits, use equipment and techniques that nullify trait effects, and so on.

But I’ve never seen anything that deactivates or completely eliminates the opponent’s traits themselves.

‘There are traits with somewhat similar effects, but…’

It’s not something you can see here.

Besides, Siheyon used a weapon, not a trait.

‘To think both of them were decoys.’

I knew Siheyon herself was playing the role of decoy. I thought her strategy was to lure me while someone wearing that strange reinforced suit would snipe me.

My prediction was only half right. They deceived me so their hidden weapon wouldn’t be detected.

They charged at me trusting in that weapon alone.

‘…I took a hit.’

Honestly, it would be a lie to say I wasn’t careless. Rather than focusing on the fight, I was paying attention to Siheyon’s identity and plans.

The price for such distractions during a life-or-death battle was critical.

‘Focus.’

What’s done is done, but I need to be careful from now on.

Just because Siheyon isn’t here doesn’t mean the battle is over. I recalled the situation when she used her weapon.

While I was distracted by her decoy partner, Siheyon pulled out a weapon hidden on the floor.

To be precise, she grabbed the weapon’s components.

‘It was a combination of something crystal-like and a firearm that looked like a vacuum cleaner.’

She assembled the two tools into one. After completion, the crystal emitted light and began spinning.

Then a wave in the form of light was fired from the weapon. Standing in the enclosed underground passage, I took the full brunt of the wave.

‘No. Even in an open space, I couldn’t have avoided it.’

The wave generated by the weapon reached me as soon as I recognized it. It’s essentially impossible to avoid.

Afterward, as the text box warned, the “Parasitic Colony” trait in my body was deactivated.

After dealing me a critical blow, Siheyon retreated with her fallen comrade instead of launching additional attacks.

That summarizes the situation. What questions arise, what information can I gather?

‘Why did Siheyon act that way at the end?’

That’s the biggest question.

If she had used the weapon one more time, I would have been incapacitated immediately.

The fact that she didn’t suggests there are some restrictions on using that weapon.

After using the weapon, she said something.

Asked if I wasn’t an Outspacer.

‘The text box content was similar.’

It specifically said that the Outspacer’s genetic essence was destroyed.

I looked down at my combat arm. It still showed no signs of healing.

Originally, parasites are generated from the combat arm. The arm is damaged because the “Parasitic Colony” trait is blocked.

Parasitic Colony is a fusion trait created from a trait obtained by preying on Outspacer worker larvae. It can be said to be the only Outspacer-related trait currently in my body.

In other words, her weapon is a type that strikes designated targets. It fired a wave that selectively kills Outspacers as specified by the user.

This raises a second question: why did she destroy Outspacer genes rather than AMorph genes?

‘That’s not it. She had no choice.’

While it’s true that I frequently use Parasitic Colony, it’s unlikely she shot knowing this.

Rather, it’s more reasonable to assume she did so because she ‘judged my identity to be an Outspacer.’

‘The prerequisite is that the user must know about me.’

In a game, that weapon would work by entering my race name, but this is reality. It can’t work that way.

‘It probably creates waves based on genetic information.’

I’m guessing the weapon needs to have another creature’s genetic information inputted to be able to fire waves that can kill that creature. I can’t be certain, but that seems most plausible right now.

However, I still haven’t found an answer to ‘why she didn’t attack me again.’ She could have caused me damage by designating Metallic Gremlin or another creature.

‘Was it not that she didn’t, but that she couldn’t?’

Siheyon Yujin is not the type of person who would miss a golden opportunity to kill me just to take care of a comrade. If she were that kind of person, she wouldn’t have used herself and her comrade as bait in the first place.

She must have been unable to use the weapon due to some restriction.

There might be a cooldown after one use, or perhaps the energy consumption is too high for rapid firing.

‘Whatever it is, that’s the weakness.’

If the energy consumption is high, it makes sense why she couldn’t use the weapon consecutively.

From her perspective, it became a gamble from the moment she failed to kill me. In a situation where she couldn’t be certain of killing me definitively, she couldn’t waste remaining energy. Once the energy is depleted, that’s the end.

‘Based on the circumstances, her plan was only half successful.’

I’m certain her weapon doesn’t contain my genetic information. Even if it did, she doesn’t know exactly what kind of being I am.

She originally thought I was an Outspacer, so she wouldn’t have expected this outcome. She only managed to land one hit on me but failed to kill me. That’s why she’s trying to escape from me.

‘So what should I do now?’

I don’t sense any Cult members coming here yet. But I don’t know how long such luck will last.

I need to make a choice here.

‘Whether to chase after her or retreat.’

In truth, pursuing her while my body isn’t in perfect condition isn’t a great idea. If I encounter a Cult extermination squad while chasing her, I’ll be in trouble.

It would be a serious problem if the person commanding them from behind, the ranker existing on this planet, knew about my condition.

Looking at just this, it would be better to flee immediately, but there’s a reason I can’t. It’s because of the weapon she’s carrying.

There are many questions about who made her weapon, where she got it from, and more, but there’s a more important issue.

What if she somehow obtains AMorph genetic data and confronts me again?

If that happens, it would be truly difficult for me to handle.

‘So I need to take care of her now, as quickly as possible.’

The best option would be to eat her. If I turn her into a human-faced beast, I can extract information about the weapon too, which would be perfect.

Even if I can’t kill her, I must destroy the weapon at least. The weapon she holds is a serious threat to my survival. I absolutely need to resolve this before leaving this underground area.

‘The problem is that it’s not as easy as it sounds.’

She must know what I’ll be targeting first. She’ll try to avoid confronting me by any means.

‘If I drag this out, the Cult will discover me.’

It’s unclear what relationship Siheyon has with the Cult on Beryan02. Seeing that she moves with just one companion, it doesn’t seem particularly friendly.

However, from the Cult’s perspective, Siheyon is an inferior other race. It’s safe to assume they won’t perceive her as threatening as they do me. It’s clear whose side they would take between me and Siheyon.

The longer the fight drags on, the higher the probability I’ll lose. I must finish this as soon as we meet again.

Having decided to pursue Siheyon, I got up. My combat arm, which had lost control, dangled and drooped toward the floor.

With the restriction on Parasitic Colony, the entire arm’s function was damaged. Even using “Variable Bioweapon” to change the arm didn’t make it move properly.

‘I’ve lost an arm, but it’s fine.’

I still have wing arms, legs, and tentacles. I extended the corrosive tentacles on my back to support my staggering body.

‘A weapon that fires waves that destroy specific genes.’

It’s a weapon with extraordinary performance. It’s hard to think it’s mass-produced. It can’t be easy to manufacture.

‘Either destroy it or…’

If conditions allow, I’d like to consume her weapon.

Having set a new goal, I followed the traces left by my enemy.