Ch.8Evolution (1)

–

The ship’s conference room.

This is where team leaders and above gather to discuss important matters when they arise.

Life aboard a ship is usually quiet. Therefore, when something important happens, it almost certainly means a serious problem has occurred.

Everyone present knew this, but no one could have imagined that a nuclear bomb was about to drop.

“…What should we do?”

The question came from the medical team leader, who was responsible for the crew’s health. His gaze turned toward an empty chair.

That particular seat, above all others, should never be vacant.

The empty chair belonged to the research team leader.

“Huh, fuck. I don’t know.”

“……”

Eusung cursed, but no one in the room called him out on it.

Because everyone felt exactly the same way.

Eusung rubbed his face with dry hands.

He felt completely lost about how to handle this situation.

He wanted to take drugs and forget everything, but Eusung was the captain of this ship.

Everyone was waiting for him to speak, so he had to say something.

“Ahem, have you determined the cause of death?”

“From visual inspection, the research team leader died from an attack to the neck. It looks like it was cut with a small saw, but we’ll need a detailed examination to be sure.”

“Detailed examination… You mean we need an autopsy?”

The medical team leader nodded at Eusung’s question.

Though he mentioned autopsy, both Eusung and the medical team leader knew it was impossible.

‘Performing an autopsy on a Noble Capital.’

Noble Capital, regardless of which house they belong to, despise having their bodies tampered with. Despite treating others’ bodies like toys, they consider their own bodies extremely precious.

If even the slightest mark from a scalpel were found on the body, Noble Capital would not let the medical team leader who conducted the autopsy go unpunished.

“Security team leader. How far has the search for the culprit progressed?”

“We’ve checked all surveillance cameras on board but found nothing unusual. The primary suspect, a security guard, is currently being interrogated.”

“Do you think he’s the culprit?”

“Based on the information we have so far, it’s highly unlikely.”

“…Report to me as soon as you have search results.”

The most important person on the ship was dead, and they had no idea who the culprit was.

Eusung barely suppressed the urge to abandon ship and flee.

He knew what had happened to the researcher who didn’t listen to Kisaragi.

The researcher had his brain extracted while still alive and became an experimental subject.

A promising talent had become nothing more than a brain floating in a test tube overnight.

That’s what happened to someone who merely disobeyed. It was hard to imagine what punishment awaited someone involved in a Noble Capital’s death.

“I’m sure you all know what happened in the laboratory.”

“……”

“…Hmm.”

“If you don’t want to end up as just a brain being electrocuted, we need to come up with some kind of plan.”

Everyone in the room flinched at the words “brain” and “electrocution.”

They all racked their brains furiously to avoid the worst possible future.

“What if we say there was an accident during an experiment?”

“Think before you speak, Navigation Team Leader. There are too many researchers—how would we coordinate our stories?”

“Well, look at your attitude. That’s why you’re still just a Middle Capital.”

“What did you say?”

“How about this? He ate something bad…”

“Then we’d take the blame! If you want to die, die alone! Technical Team Leader!”

“What? You who can do nothing but cook dare to! Which Capital are you from?”

With anxiety filling everyone’s minds, there was no way the meeting could proceed properly. The conference room quickly descended into chaos.

As they grabbed each other’s collars and shouted, someone slammed the table hard.

“Quiet!”

It was the crisis management team leader, who commanded the soldiers.

“Internal conflict will only complicate the situation.”

After instantly calming everyone down, he paused briefly before speaking.

“Captain. We are currently near planet C-08.”

“So what?”

“C-08 is Space Dog territory.”

Eusung’s eyebrows twitched as he understood what the crisis management team leader was suggesting.

“You want to say those bastards caused this trouble. Is that it?”

“Yes. We can say that in the chaos of the attack, we failed to properly assess the situation.”

Eusung stroked his chin.

Space Dogs are rovers who plunder throughout space and are among Megacorp’s main enemies.

They’re skilled in fleet combat, so even military ships led by veteran soldiers often suffer casualties when fighting them.

If military ships take damage, what about a mere research vessel like this one? Naturally, there would be significant casualties.

And in that process, “unfortunate accidents” could easily occur.

‘If we report that we were attacked by them, we could cover up the research team leader’s death.’

Of course, Eusung, who was responsible for protecting the crew, would still face consequences, but considering the danger posed by Space Dogs, it would likely end with just a fine.

Noble Capital would also direct their vengeance toward the Space Dogs rather than Eusung.

“Not a bad method, but there’s a problem. Our weapons aren’t sufficient to face Space Dogs.”

“Don’t worry about that. I have some old friends I can contact.”

The atmosphere in the conference room became strange at those words.

Few high-ranking Megacorp officers aren’t corrupt. Most create separate funding channels to bribe their superiors.

Even so, no one expected the seemingly upright crisis management team leader to be like that.

‘I didn’t take him for the type to have connections with pirates.’

Like the others, Eusung didn’t like Space Dogs either. But there was no alternative.

“How much will we need?”

“At least 1 million credits.”

“……”

Eusung wanted to curse at the amount—nearly half the value of the ship—but barely restrained himself.

Noble Capital is an entity even Space Dogs hesitate to mess with. Considering they’d be taking a risk, this cost seemed reasonable.

‘Damn it. Using hard-earned credits for something like this.’

Eusung knew this fact, but unexpected expenses were never pleasant. If there were other options, he might consider them, but right now there was no better solution. All he could do was accept the proposal.

“Hmm, I’ll prepare it.”

“Thank you, Captain.”

“But you must handle this matter thoroughly.”

“No problem.”

In the end, the issue was entrusted to the crisis management team leader.

As Eusung was about to conclude the meeting, the medical team leader raised his hand.

“What should we do with the body?”

“Keep it stored and hand it over when the Space Dogs arrive. Make sure absolutely no one else touches it.”

“Understood.”

With no further issues raised, the meeting was adjourned.

Eusung left the conference room, desperately hoping they wouldn’t need to gather there again.

–

‘So this is a Morphlet.’

Seeing and feeling in reality what I’d only seen in the game was a completely different sensation.

I looked down at my feet, or rather, my hands.

As a Hatchling, all four pairs of legs were used for crawling on the ground.

But now it’s different.

Except for the rearmost pair of legs, the rest have evolved into arms.

Let’s look at the four arms first.

One pair protruding from my sides, another pair from near my shoulders.

They resemble human arm bones with muscles attached. The hands at the ends of the arms look like eagle feet, with two pairs of fingers arranged vertically. Judging by the sharp claws, they could easily tear human flesh.

‘Combat arms.’

They exist to attack enemies or protect my body, like swords and shields.

Of course, this doesn’t mean I can’t do what I could before. There are suction cup-like protrusions between my fingers that allow me to climb walls or stick to ceilings.

This change truly deserves the term “enhancement” or “evolution.”

‘Let’s see.’

I tried moving my four arms.

The upper arms felt somewhat familiar, like moving shoulders, but the lower ones felt very alien.

If I had to explain it in human terms, it’s like the feeling when your latissimus dorsi muscles engage during a pull-up. If there were some complex organ performing functions in that area, it would probably feel like this.

‘A fresh sensation.’

The awkwardness was temporary, and since it’s my body, I got the hang of it after moving a few times.

‘Combat arms are done. Next is this little one.’

The tiny arms near my chest.

In terms of length, they’re shorter than my legs were as a Hatchling.

The shape of the hands differed from the combat hands—they had thumbs like primates.

‘They exist for detailed work.’

As evident from the presence of thumbs, the small arms are dedicated to complex tasks. For example, operating computers or terminals, using weapons or tools, and so on.

Arms aren’t the only thing that changed.

My body, which used to crawl on the ground like a lizard, has transformed into a bipedal form. With this change, the outer skin covering my back and abdomen evolved into armor-like exoskeletons.

Primate-like pelvis and digitigrade legs formed below my chest and waist.

The legs were much thicker than the arms and had a much higher muscle density. What was originally the fourth pair of legs has become what they are now for bipedal walking.

The tail at my rear has grown long and thick like a dinosaur’s tail. It probably evolved this way to balance my body.

Along with the tail, the stinger has also grown to almost the size of a dagger.

‘I’ve grown bigger too.’

Standing up, I’m just under 1m tall. In terms of length, including the tail, I’m almost 2m, which is enormously larger than before.

‘Now that I’m a Morphlet, I need to change my strategy.’

Until now, survival depended on avoiding enemies’ eyes, but now it’s different.

The importance of hunting and survival is now almost equal.

‘Since survival is somewhat resolved, it’s time to think about what’s next.’

I plan to steal all the genetic essences on the ship, but I need to plan beyond that too. What should my next goal be?

「Species: Unidentified Agressive Space Morph

Status: Morphlet

Objective: Survive (1 evolution successful).

Traits: Predator Sense (Fusion), Wings, Chitinous Skin, Enhanced Vitality, Paralyzing Stinger, Reinforced Exoskeleton, Acidic Blood

Type: Undetermined」

When I brought up the text box, there were new words next to the objective.

‘One evolution successful must refer to becoming a Morphlet?’

AMorph status is divided into six stages, so there are a total of five evolutions.

Hatchling, Morphlet, Juvenile, Subadult, Adult, and finally, Ascended.

Reaching Ascended is considered clearing Space Survival. In other words, it’s equivalent to seeing AMorph’s ending.

‘The problem is that getting to the ending is incredibly difficult.’

Very few users have seen the species ending in Space Survival. You can check the list of people who cleared it in the game, and there were only about 20, including me.

Among AMorphs, I was the only one who achieved the ending, or Ascension.

‘Ascension, huh.’

In the game, when an AMorph ascends, the secret of the species’ origin is revealed. Where they came from, what they really are—all the hidden plot points are resolved.

‘Reality is likely to be similar.’

If I succeed in ascending, I might learn how I became an AMorph and why I came to the world of Space Survival.

‘The question is how to get there.’

I checked the “Type” item that had newly appeared in the text box.

「No unlockable ‘Types’ exist.」

「Would you like to view potential ‘Types’ that can be specialized?」

When you become a Morphlet, an important inflection point arises that determines the AMorph’s future: determining your “Type.”

Type is equivalent to a profession for other species. The difference is that when you get a profession, abilities related to that profession are unlocked, but for AMorphs, it’s the opposite.

When conditions are met, a Type is unlocked, and you gain synergy with abilities related to that Type.

For example, if you have many physical enhancement traits, the physical enhancement Type is unlocked. Then, existing traits related to physical combat become much more powerful.

‘Looking at my traits, will I become a physical enhancement Type?’

It’s a Type I personally like. Especially when Chitinous Skin is enhanced by the Type, you become a living tank. Just charging and ramming into enemies can turn them into pieces of meat.

‘Still, I should see what’s available. View.’

「Currently, there are 2 Types that can be specialized.」

「Physical Enhancement Type (6/10), Psychic Enhancement Type (1.5/3)」

As I expected, the physical enhancement Type is almost fulfilled. Thanks to the Reinforced Exoskeleton and Acidic Blood traits that came with becoming a Morphlet, I could secure a total of 6 physical-related traits.

‘But what’s this?’

The number next to the Psychic Enhancement Type was strange.

‘One must be Predator Sense. But what’s the 0.5? I don’t have any such trait.’

To obtain genetic essence, you need to eat almost the entire corpse. The 0.5 indication suggests I either left something unfinished or failed to acquire it for some reason.

I recalled what I had eaten so far.

Spider, cockroach, cat. None of these creatures would have psychic abilities.

‘I ate everything completely… oh.’

I remembered.

Kisaragi Yujin.

Hers was the only corpse I left partially eaten.

‘I thought my senses were good, but could it have been due to psychic power?’

Among Megacorp humans, those with psychic power traits are rare but not non-existent. She probably didn’t know it herself, but the talent was latent within her.

‘I must eat psychic power.’

While the physical enhancement Type is a matter of preference, psychic power is different. The difference between having it and not is quite significant.

‘Let’s find the corpse.’

I checked the airflow with the auxiliary organs in my jaw.

Considering the temperature, humidity, and the withered state of the nest, I had been in the cocoon for about a day.

By now, rigor mortis would be progressing, and I need to eat the body quickly before it decomposes. The more damage to the corpse, the harder it will be for me to fully acquire the genetic essence.

‘I’ll restore the nest later.’

Traits are the priority now. I left the cooling room.

‘The first place to go is the bathroom.’

There should be traces of where Kisaragi went near the bathroom, so I can follow them.

I was heading toward the bathroom but came down to the corridor midway. There were areas I couldn’t pass through with my larger body.

‘It must be night since no one’s around.’

The auxiliary organs, which had grown to tentacle-like proportions, hadn’t just increased in length. They hadn’t widened in range but had become more sensitive than before.

No human approach was detected within a 50m radius. The only movement was the sleep-talking of those sleeping soundly in their bedrooms.

Beyond the fork in the road, my auxiliary organs informed me that guards were stationed in front of the bathroom. The vibrations created by their yawns reached me from here. The soldiers who had been on guard all night showed clear signs of fatigue.

‘Not now.’

While the enemies’ poor condition would be advantageous to me, there were too many of them.

I’ve already traced where the corpse went. Deciding to enjoy the feast later, I went another way.

I continued walking down the corridor, following the traces. This was possible because there were no surveillance cameras except in front of important facilities.

As I walked, I entered an area where the ventilation ducts widened. I climbed up to the ceiling.

Even as the location changed, my senses didn’t lose track of the corpse’s smell.

While crawling, the smell of meat wafted up strongly from below.

The morgue. The space where the dead rest was right beneath my feet.