Ch.92Crossroads (4)

When Monuement was attacked by an unidentified enemy, Danver Egerton evacuated with his retainers.

Amid the general panic, he judged this to be the perfect opportunity.

‘If the monster’s corpse goes missing now, no one would notice.’

The Monument’s leadership, including the General Administrator, would be busy dealing with the enemy.

They might notice later, but by then, House Egerton’s flagship would be far from the city.

Having made up his mind, Danver called for the new deputy commander Jacob and several members.

“You want us to retrieve its corpse?”

“Yes. Find it by any means necessary. Otherwise, we won’t break even.”

With the council in this state, Salam Chamberlain becoming CEO was out of the question.

As a result, Danver’s position within his family had become awkward, as he had supported T&C.

‘With that creature, our project progress would advance by several stages.’

If they succeeded in developing the new Hulk Mutant, they would no longer need to depend on T&C. That would strengthen the family head’s position.

After leaving Jacob’s team behind, Danver boarded the transport.

Arriving at the port district, he found the docks filled with ships preparing to depart.

Besides House Zhao’s spaceship that had come for the council meeting, many administrators from the administrative district were also trying to flee.

“Your Excellency, the elders say they’re departing first.”

“I have business to attend to. Tell them to leave without waiting for me.”

Soon after, the warship carrying the elders left the city for space.

Danver sat on the throne in the flagship’s command room, waiting for news from Deputy Commander Jacob.

Just as he had nearly finished the wine brought by his attendant, the contact he had been waiting for arrived.

“Did you find it?”

“Its body isn’t here.”

“What? Did you check places other than the laboratory?”

“Yes.”

Danver was surprised to hear it wasn’t in the laboratory.

‘They moved the body in this situation?’

From his perspective, order in the city had collapsed. With administrators fleeing, who would care about a monster’s corpse?

Instead, Danver suddenly thought of another possibility.

‘The attack on Monument… could it be?’

The creature might still be alive.

As this possibility occurred to him, Danver felt goosebumps all over his body.

‘They didn’t kill it—they captured it alive!’

He had thought something was suspicious.

This creature had not only slaughtered House Egerton’s elite knights but also killed the veteran former deputy commander Vickers.

He knew well that the defense fleet’s army wasn’t heavily armed. Their troops with Gauss rifles couldn’t kill such a creature.

‘It can even withstand plasma bolters.’

The defense forces probably subdued it with launcher fire, then took it to Monument’s scientific research center.

There, scientists must have studied it and extracted enough results to present during the council meeting.

‘Then something went wrong, leading to this disaster.’

“Now I see who’s behind this incident, given that the creature is missing.”

“Yes. The culprit behind this situation is probably…”

Having grasped the situation, Danver asked the most important question.

“Did you find any trace of it?”

“After checking with the genetic tracker, we confirmed it escaped the building. Beyond that, it seems to have covered its tracks.”

Jacob said he couldn’t confirm its whereabouts, but Danver wasn’t particularly worried.

At least it was certain that the creature had escaped Monument alive.

“It could be a disguise. Continue tracking inside the building as much as possible.”

“Understood.”

“And transmit its genetic data immediately.”

“Yes.”

After ending the communication, Danver called his aide.

“The deputy commander will send genetic data soon. Put it in the bio-scanner and scan the city.”

“Your Excellency, T&C will surely protest if we do that.”

“It doesn’t matter. Execute it immediately.”

The bio-scanner is equipment that can locate a specific organism within a certain range by inputting its genetic data.

Since it could also find people if their data was entered, Megacorp law required permission to use it in another family’s territory.

That’s why the aide objected, but Danver didn’t care.

Relations with T&C were already deteriorated. How much worse could things get?

‘Once the monster is in my hands, T&C will be the one at a disadvantage.’

If Egerton got hold of the monster, they could complete the new Hulk Mutant development within a month.

Then, unlike before, T&C would be the one begging them to sell it.

Shortly after, the bio-scanner received the genetic data sent by Jacob and began operating.

The results of scanning the entire city appeared on the large hologram monitor at the front of the command room.

“Target approaching the port district.”

“As expected.”

Danver nodded.

That’s what he had thought.

The creature was a monster with demonic intelligence. It knew its own strengths and limitations well.

‘It’s probably planning to escape on a departing spaceship.’

“Inform the knights on board. Tell them to prepare for battle.”

Rising from his throne, Danver ordered his aide.

“Allow everyone to wear assault packs.”

“Assault packs, sir?”

Currently, there were 50 knights remaining on the flagship. The aide couldn’t help but be surprised that he was authorizing the use of expensive assault packs for all of them.

“It’s not an easy prey. This time, we’ll kill it, not capture it, so prepare launchers too.”

“Understood, Your Excellency.”

“And I’ll command directly this time, so prepare my enhancement suit.”

Danver watched the creature’s signal moving on the command room monitor.

‘It belongs to me.’

He believed without doubt that he would win.

That’s how it had always been.

–

I hid in the sewer to avoid the plasma bullets raining down.

Checking with my auxiliary organs, I saw that the number of enemies targeting me had suddenly increased.

‘They were lying in ambush.’

I detected about 50 enemies.

Judging by the intense electrical flow I sensed on their bodies, they were all wearing high-grade enhancement suits with assault packs.

They must have been waiting at a distance to avoid my detection, then used the jet pack function in their assault packs to fly in at once.

‘How did they know?’

I hadn’t expected Egerton knights to be lying in ambush—the defense fleet soldiers maybe, but not them.

They should have believed I was already dead.

But considering the current situation, I can guess how they found out.

For the past few days, the autopsy team leader had presented my genes at the council meeting. It’s not hard to imagine how much Egerton, who was present, coveted them.

Unlike the game setting, the real House Egerton seemed very interested in genetic manipulation.

‘They probably tried to steal my corpse during the chaos at Monument.’

Being greedy, they likely saw this as an opportunity and made their move.

However, I had left Monument’s scientific research center long ago.

So the scientific research center is now empty.

With my “corpse” gone, they must have realized I wasn’t dead but alive.

‘Then they probably used a bio-scanner.’

Megacorp warships are equipped with bio-scanners that detect biological signals.

If you input genetic data of an organism into the device, it can locate that organism within a certain range.

‘Normally, using a bio-scanner in another family’s territory is taboo, but…’

Bio-scanners can track people in real-time if you have their genetic data, making them useful for espionage.

Using such a tool in another’s territory is essentially declaring open surveillance, so the Megacorp families have agreed not to use bio-scanners in each other’s territories.

Egerton has broken that important rule.

‘They must be desperate.’

After the council presentation, they seem to be going all out.

“Did you think I would let you escape?”

I heard the shout of someone who seemed to be the commander from outside.

Though his voice was modulated by the enhancement suit covering his entire body, the obsession and madness it contained couldn’t be hidden.

‘This won’t be easy.’

Fighting 50 knights with assault packs in close combat.

Assault packs show their true value in open battlefields. Last time, the enemies couldn’t display their full abilities fighting in the narrow space of the sewers, but now it’s different.

‘Without the Hunter’s Emblem, my chances of winning are low.’

But luring them into the sewers isn’t a good option either.

“Knights! Prepare the launchers!”

Following the commander’s order, five knights with plasma launchers approached.

The knights’ commander seemed to have no intention of capturing me alive.

Well, considering what they suffered in the sewers, this would be the wise approach.

If five of them fire launchers in sequence, it would be impossible to block or dodge in this sewer passage.

‘Besides, if I dodge, the kids will get hit instead.’

If I were alone it might be different, but I have No. 26 and Adhigh Orr with me.

No. 26 is somewhat better off, but Adhigh is still injured.

If I don’t want to abandon them, I need to protect them.

‘What should I do?’

The current terrain isn’t advantageous for fighting the enemy. Even if I try to ambush them, it’s useless unless they come in.

Going outside is also problematic.

‘The exit is limited.’

The enemies have arranged their formation to concentrate all firepower around the shattered manhole. The moment I go out, I’ll be riddled with holes.

Even if I try to detour, I’ll be caught by the bio-scanner on the warship.

‘…There’s only one way left.’

It seems I need to take a risk.

[Zzz zzz zzzzz (Everyone back off)]

“Big sis?”

“?”

After telling No. 26 and Adhigh to back away, I lay down on the floor. I raised the carapace on my head like a shield to minimize the area exposed to attack.

I waited in the water flowing through the passage, focusing all my senses on my auxiliary organs.

What I’m about to do is something I’ve tried a few times in the game before.

The problem is that even I can’t succeed 100% with this method.

In the game, if you fail and die, you just respawn, but this is reality.

No mistakes can be tolerated.

‘Enough useless thoughts, focus.’

A knight with a launcher jumps into the sewer.

The waves created by their steps spread across the water surface and are transmitted to my auxiliary organs. One after another, they enter this place.

As soon as they enter, they prepare to attack.

“Launcher ready. Covering fire begin!”

“Charging 10…30%”

Others besides the one operating the launcher fire at me with bolters.

Refined plasma energy pours onto the carapace of my head. Parts of my thick head carapace are blown off by plasma bullets, and my whole body is pushed back by the impact.

“Pain reduction activated!”

‘Focus.’

I anchored my body by driving my combat arms into the sewer floor.

“Charging 60…80%”

‘Wait.’

I can feel No. 26’s waves of concern as I’m showered with bolter fire. I don’t respond and maintain my concentration.

“Charging 90%…”

Just as the plasma launcher’s energy reaches its limit.

The plates on my back moved.

The waves created by the two-pronged plates touching each other spread through the sewer passage.

Their target is the knight at the front.

To be specific, not the knight’s body, but the armor covering his body.

The waves that control cutting-edge devices envelop the enhancement suit the knight is wearing.

The enhancement suit, which should protect its wearer, escapes its owner’s control and follows my will.

The suit’s mechanism is complex, so it’s difficult for me to control it perfectly, but what I need now isn’t complex and delicate movement.

All I require is a very simple movement—just turning the upper body holding the gun backward.

“Huk!”

The body of the knight aiming the launcher at me suddenly turns around.

The launcher’s muzzle now points not at me, but at the knight’s comrades.

“What?!”

A knight behind quickly reached out to stop the launcher that was about to fire, but my invisible attack wasn’t over yet.

‘Fearful Observer.’

The eye-like pattern on the carapace of my head emits an eerie light.

The eye-shaped pattern engraved on the carapace glows, staring at the knight at the front.

For a moment, the knight seized by fear lowers his outstretched hand and turns his body like the knight at the front. The direction of the launcher he’s holding also turns backward, following its owner’s movement.

Two out of five knights now have their launcher muzzles pointing not at me, but in the opposite direction—at their comrades.

“Everyone back…!”

“Charging 100%”

A knight at the rear shouted upon seeing this, but the launcher’s charging was already complete.

Energy capable of shooting down even a ship is released from the end of the launchers held by the two knights who betrayed their comrades.

The green energy beams fired by the two at the front hit the launchers held by their fellow knights.

The moment the green energy meets the launchers still charging, an enormous flash blinds my eyes.

A massive vibration unlike anything I’ve felt before shakes my body.

But there was no significant pain.

My plan to cause a chain reaction by exploiting the enemy’s plasma launchers had succeeded.

My auxiliary organs tell me that the five knights targeting me no longer exist in this world.

When my vision quickly recovered, what I saw wasn’t the dark sewer but the view of the port district. The sewer passage in front of me no longer existed.

Instead, there was only a large-scale destruction site spread out in a fan shape.

[Zzzzzz zzzzz (Now’s the time. Everyone out)]

“Yes!”

“Counter” “attack” “begin”

I climbed to the ground with the kids.

There weren’t many knights standing on the collapsed concrete ground.

Many had either disappeared without a trace in the plasma chain reaction or been buried when the ground collapsed.

“I-Impossible! This can’t be!”

A man wearing black armor, unlike the silver knights, was shouting.

Judging by his voice, he was undoubtedly the commander.

‘He seems high-ranking.’

Given his distinctive black enhancement suit unlike the others, he might be an elder of House Egerton.

‘I need to use him.’

[Zzzzzz zzz zzz (Take care of the others)]

“I’ll punish those who bullied big sis!”

“Agreed”

Leaving No. 26 and Adhigh to handle the remaining knights, I ran toward the black-armored knight.

“Protect His Excellency…guk!”

One of the knights tried to shout upon seeing me, but his throat was blocked by something transparent.

From a distance, No. 26 was extending tentacles to cast “Bind.” Above, Adhigh flew into the air and shot purple lightning at the knights.

This was Purple Lightning, a new skill acquired after becoming a Green Gallergorn.

Its penetration and destructive power are literally devastating, but it’s an area attack and, most importantly, has an electrocution effect.

Given that most here are covered in alloy, the damage would be significant.

Some knights fell to Adhigh’s purple lightning, while those outside its range used jet packs to fly into the air.

“D-Deal with that one first…huk!”

“H-Hieek! Monster!”

The knights trying to attack Adhigh from the sky all screamed and began to fall.

Feeling a chill myself, I could immediately tell who was responsible.

No. 26, who had been twisting the knights’ necks with Bind.

Somehow, five or six eyeballs had appeared on its body, staring at the knights.

In this space city without even a lake, let alone an ocean, the terror of the deep abyss was devouring them.

“H-Hihi! Hihihi! Die! Die!”

“Get a grip!”

“Aaak!”

While the enemies couldn’t regain their senses due to No. 26 and Adhigh’s coordinated attack, I quickly approached the black knight.

“Your Excellency! Request support from the flagship!”

“We’ll hold them here!”

Two other knights stepped forward to protect the black knight.

‘Get out of my way.’

I extended tentacles to strike one down and applied Hijacking to the other.

“Kuk?! Th-This!”

I forcibly moved his arm holding the bolter to shoot his fallen comrade in the head.

His head exploded like an egg in a microwave when hit by the plasma bullet.

“F*ck youuuu!”

I controlled the knight’s body again, making him aim at the black knight.

The knight tried to resist somehow, but he couldn’t overcome the power of the enhancement suit. His fingers, surrounded by the enhancement suit, pulled the bolter’s trigger according to my will.

The plasma bullet fired from the bolter struck the black knight’s back.

“Kuuk!”

As expected of someone in a high position, his armor wasn’t significantly damaged despite being hit by the bolter.

But it couldn’t completely absorb the impact, as the black knight collapsed.

After bringing him down, I grabbed the head of the hijacked knight with my combat arm. I could feel him trying to resist somehow, but it was useless.

The enhancement suit that had always protected him had ironically become a prison trapping him.

“Y-Your Excellency, hurry and evacuate…aaaagh!”

Using Ghost Claw, I tore apart the knight’s head inside the helmet, causing his body to tremble.

Then, red blood flowed through the gaps in the enhancement suit.

As I withdrew my hand, the knight’s corpse collapsed lifelessly.

“K-Uuugh!”

The black knight still couldn’t steady himself, apparently not recovered from the bolter impact.

I approached him.

The other knights were too busy fighting No. 26 and Adhigh to notice.

“D-Don’t come near me!”

There was no one here to protect him.

I grabbed and tore off the helmet he was wearing. Inside was a man with dark skin.

He was looking up at me with eyes full of fear, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

As my sharp teeth approached, he began to tremble.

“You·are·the·commander”

“Y-You can talk?!”

His eyes filled with astonishment.

He seemed quite shocked that I spoke human language.

“W-Was it a Hulk Mutant after all? I-I never knew such technology existed!”

Hulk Mutant.

I am not such a lowly being, but there’s no need to explain that fact to an enemy.

When I bared my teeth, he hastily exclaimed.

“W-Wait! I am Danver Egerton! If you spare me…”

Being someone of high status, his reaction is different.

Not many people have offered negotiations after encountering me.

He seems to think negotiation is possible with a communicative opponent, but he’s completely mistaken.

‘Despite fighting several times, he still doesn’t understand me.’

I tore off his shoulder plate with my combat arm, then bit into his shoulder with my sharp teeth.

“Aak!”

The neurotoxin flowing from my teeth spread throughout his body through his blood vessels. At the same time, Danver’s blood flowed down my throat.

“Not·needed”

“!”

When a voice almost identical to his came from my mouth due to the effect of my mimicry organ, his pupils dilated greatly.

I put the helmet back on him, whose body had stiffened like a doll.

Since he doesn’t seem to understand, I should teach him.

That AMorphs don’t negotiate.