Ch.407Pursuit (4)

In Space Survival, all intelligent collectives share a common system called ‘conflict.’

As a player’s faction grows larger, the probability of conflicts occurring on planets and star systems occupied by that faction increases. Eventually, conflict events specific to each race will trigger.

Typically, Megacorp experiences colonial independence movements, Cult Empire faces slave rebellions, and Star Union deals with clone uprisings. Similar events exist for Volf and Space Dog as well.

Though each has different names and content, once a conflict begins, it must be stabilized. Otherwise, the conflict escalates into rebellion and ultimately breaks away as an independent NPC faction.

While this is my first visit to the Zer-11 star system, I’ve been to other conflict zones multiple times. I know exactly how to infiltrate them.

However, this time I need to move more cautiously than usual. It hasn’t been long since my battle with the rankers ended.

They’re obviously still wary of me, and if I’m discovered before finding traces of “ArcaneOrca,” things will become quite troublesome. The colony could even be destroyed by ranker attacks.

Considering all these factors, I’ve chosen AG-01 as my target.

First, this place is closest to the star among all colonies in the system. If ArcaneOrca truly operated in Zer-11, there’s a high probability that records remain here.

Additionally, AG-01 has the most severe conflicts in the star system. The administrators of Zer-11 are preoccupied dealing with pirates and separatist movements. They won’t notice if I secretly establish a nest.

Infiltrating a planet with such lax surveillance wasn’t difficult.

The broken terraforming machine was an unexpected bonus. It would be extremely difficult to spot me hiding in the relentless rain and storms.

After successfully infiltrating, the first place I set foot was a sewage treatment facility in some city.

Despite being crucial to the residential area, it was neglected. There were no administrators or guards to be found, only homeless vagrants and drug addicts swarming about.

Various pollutants, abundant moisture, and numerous organisms that could serve as nutrients.

‘A very suitable environment for establishing a nest.’

After sending PS-111 elsewhere, I immediately planted my nest above the sewage treatment facility. The black mucus generated from my body grew into a massive nest by consuming the contaminated water.

And for the first time in reality, I could taste the power of ‘Hiveformer.’

Unlike other traits, nest-related traits aren’t easily utilized without the right conditions. They’re useless without a nest.

But once you have a nest, the nest lineage becomes that much stronger. Hiveformer is a trait that demonstrates this characteristic very well.

With the Hiveformer trait, swarms of thread worms are generated at regular intervals in the nest. The gloomy black Hiveformer intercepts prey entering the nest or decomposes corpses to convert them into energy sources for the nest.

As the name suggests, they are organisms that grow and manage the nest.

The Hiveformers created by the trait’s original owner, Outspacer, have considerable combat power, but that’s not the case with AMorph. Hiveformers born in an AMorph’s nest are as weak as Megacorp’s corpse eaters.

However, their true value is demonstrated when gathered in large numbers and when they steal the skin of enemies.

I looked down at the numerous vagrants standing near my feet. Standing motionless on the black mucus, they appear human at first glance.

But up close, you can see something thin wriggling beneath their thin skin. These aren’t vagrants but swarms of thread worms wearing human skin turned inside out.

Hiveformers enter an enemy’s body and eat away at the flesh first. When only the skin remains, they wear it to disguise themselves as that organism.

Though they seem similar to parasites, there are many differences. These don’t control living organisms but merely move around wearing the skin of corpses. Since they’re just moving corpses and skin like puppets, they can’t use unique abilities or traits.

‘But that doesn’t mean they’re bad at all.’

Unlike parasites that are limited in which organisms they can infest, Hiveformers have no restrictions on which skin they can use as hiding places. Any organism is possible as long as there’s a hole to enter and flesh to gnaw on.

‘And…’

I lowered my body and bent my central head toward the floor. I could see the black mucus continuously absorbing rainwater. The moment I brought my auxiliary organ to it, my range of consciousness expanded instantly.

At the same time, my vision split into thousands of pieces. It felt like looking at multiple monitors stacked on a wall. By linking with the nest, I could also share the Hiveformers’ vision.

Maintaining that state, I focused my consciousness on them. One of the vagrants at my feet slowly moved forward. It crawled like a snail and firmly grabbed the human I had captured.

‘I didn’t know I could control them like this.’

In the game, I could only issue very basic commands. Things like increasing their numbers or gathering at specific points were all I could do. I couldn’t imagine ordering them to grab someone like now.

There’s a disadvantage that commands are only possible when linked with the nest, but that was always the case, so it’s not a big issue.

‘Thanks to this, I have more methods to use.’

For instance, with these vagrants, my original plan was to keep only a few and use the rest as materials for the nest. The shells of humans, especially drug addicts, aren’t very suitable for combat.

However, now that I can give detailed instructions to Hiveformers, there’s no need to use them just as consumables. Disguised as vagrants, they can help find humans who handle information.

After establishing my nest in the sewage treatment facility, I spread black mucus through the sewers connected to the facility. At the same time, I sent Hiveformers up to the nearby city. While the black mucus infiltrated the city, the Hiveformers selected useful humans.

That human captured by the Hiveformer is also a result of the search.

‘A human worth opening the head of.’

I raised my head to disconnect from the nest.

The vagrant filled with thread worms continued to hold the human. When I extended my combat arm, the Hiveformer immediately released its grip. Having completed its task, it moved to manage the nest like other Hiveformers.

I picked up the man who had been extracted by destroying an apartment.

“Hee, heehee.”

He had been laughing continuously. Judging by his unfocused eyes, he seemed completely out of his mind.

‘I didn’t even do anything special.’

Apart from destroying the apartment wall to extract him, I hadn’t made any particular threats. I didn’t expect him to lose his mind over just that.

‘Well, it doesn’t really matter.’

I put the man down and called for the small friend who had come here with me. When my left head opened its mouth, a monster with a woman’s head attached to metal legs crawled out.

It’s MPS-03, a mini screamer created by PS-111 and me.

I usually carry model 5, designed for communication and hacking, but not this time. MPS-05 is not here because Sky Mother took it.

“Please check this one too.”

“Strange thing. Check. Check.”

Hearing my request, it raised its metal legs in a salute. My left head lowered its neck to help it descend easily. MPS-03 diligently moved its multiple metal legs and crossed over to the man.

“Mechanical parts. Check.”

“Hehe, hehehe…”

Climbing onto the man’s shoulder, it extended its metal legs. Dish antennas emerged from the tips of the legs and began scanning the man’s face.

‘It would be troublesome if there’s something in his head like last time.’

Before coming here, I asked PS-111 to add a function to detect electronic equipment to the mini screamers. This was to prepare for cases where rankers might have planted traps in their subordinates’ bodies.

Since modifying all of them would take too long, we added detection capabilities only to models 3 and 5. That antenna-like part coming from MPS-03’s legs is the result.

While it was checking, I turned my head to look at the apartment with one wall collapsed.

I could see black mucus flowing back up inside. Hiveformers moved along the mucus, collecting things that could serve as nutrients.

While examining the interior of the building, I noticed the room where the human I had extracted lived.

‘Huh?’

An unexpected object was placed next to the collapsed debris. I used the small arms on my chest to clear away the debris and pick up the object.

‘A portable hologram player?’

It’s quite an expensive device; I didn’t expect to see it in a place like this.

“Strange thing. None! None!”

Just then, MPS-03’s inspection was also completed. I implanted a parasite in the man. After swallowing the eel-like parasite, he trembled for a moment before becoming docile.

“You were holding something interesting.”

“Yes…”

“Explain who you are and what you did.”

“Yes. My name is…”

Even if he’s not in his right mind, he can’t refuse the parasite’s commands. The man, who introduced himself as Jeff, slowly answered my questions.

And as the story progressed, I couldn’t help but be surprised.

“This is where they developed Hulk Mutants?”

“Yes. Noble Capital House T&C was secretly trying to develop Hulk Mutants. There are experimental facilities built by T&C in colonies belonging to the Zer-11 star system.”

Jeff’s profession was a journalist. And a renowned one at that, working on commissions from Prime Capital House Zhao. Perhaps that’s why he knew more information than expected.

“Then is there a laboratory on this planet that stores genetic samples?”

“Yes. T&C’s security team is guarding genetic samples and Hulk Mutant test subjects.”

The important thing is that genetic samples and test subjects remain here.

“You seem useful.”

“Thank you.”

I licked my lips as I watched Jeff bow his head.

I should check if I can secretly extract those samples.