Ch.95Escape (3)

Jaesung Samuel, who held the position of Armed Police Team Leader in the Earth Security Division, barely made it onto the escape ship.

The space city had completely turned into a sea of flames, and security in each district was in shambles, but he considered it none of his business.

‘I’m just a civil servant! What am I supposed to do?’

He had tried contacting Monument, his superior agency, for instructions.

But the only response he received was to focus on maintaining security.

As Armed Police Team Leader, it was natural for him to protect the city’s security, but he thought differently.

That the higher-ups had abandoned him.

‘If I’m going to be abandoned, I might as well leave this place.’

Jaesung was the type who could tolerate abandoning others but couldn’t stand being abandoned himself.

The interesting fact was that he wasn’t the only one who thought this way.

There were quite a few people on the escape ship who had boarded with similar motivations.

‘All familiar faces.’

The Human Resources Manager from the entertainment district, the Medical Team Leader from Monument Central Hospital. All familiar faces.

They exchanged subtle expressions and averted their gazes when their eyes met.

“Hey, why aren’t we departing?”

“I’m sorry. I’ll check right away.”

Unable to bear the awkward atmosphere any longer, the Medical Team Leader took out his frustration on a flight attendant.

Since most passengers were from upper Capitals, the attendant immediately bowed her head.

‘Tsk, pathetic.’

Seeing this, Jaesung clicked his tongue. Though they were all fleeing together, he thought himself different from them.

After all, he had a legitimate reason to leave the city.

He had recently received news of his brother Eusung Samuel’s death.

Jaesung was able to leave the city under the pretext of attending his brother’s funeral, which was to be held in their hometown.

‘That useless guy is helpful at times like this.’

As a descendant of House Samuel, a Third Capital from the satellite Titan, he didn’t get along well with Eusung.

It couldn’t be helped since the two were competing for succession of the family.

But that was something only people within the family knew.

No one at the T&C Special Trade Center knew how he felt about his brother.

‘Now that he’s dead, the family will be mine.’

He closed his eyes, feeling a sense of relief.

–

“The passengers are asking why we haven’t departed yet.”

“We’re departing now. There will be an announcement soon.”

“Understood.”

“Oh, it shows the cargo hold is open. Could you check that please?”

“Yes.”

The female flight attendant who came out of the cockpit headed to the cargo hold.

The cargo hold was packed with valuable items brought by passengers and small containers scheduled for transfer elsewhere.

Beyond the loaded cargo, she saw a door that was half-closed.

She operated the terminal next to the door to close it completely.

As the red light on the terminal turned green, an announcement began to play.

“We at T&C affiliated Trade Airline always appreciate our customers…”

Befitting an escape ship for distinguished guests, there was hardly any turbulence felt inside during takeoff.

“Huh?”

For a moment, she thought she heard someone’s voice and turned her head.

But all she could see were containers and cargo that hadn’t moved an inch.

“Did I hear wrong?”

The flight attendant left the cargo hold without noticing anything unusual.

–

“Deputy Commander Jacob!”

“What’s going on here!”

“W-well…”

Jacob, who arrived late at the port district warehouse because he was putting on his power armor, asked the knights about the situation.

“You’re saying His Highness has been taken hostage?”

“Yes. That’s why we’re searching this place…”

“We found it!”

Hearing a voice from afar, Jacob and his members entered the warehouse.

However, what they found was not Denver but the remains of a damaged power armor.

“Judging by the lack of blood, His Highness is still alive.”

“Then we should go look for him right away…”

“Quiet.”

At Jacob’s firm command, the members fell silent.

He glared at the remains of the power armor with cold eyes.

Jacob was a veteran among the knights.

He was certain that there must be clues hidden in the thoroughly destroyed remains.

Carefully examining the traces of the armor, he quickly noticed something suspicious.

‘The power armor was precisely cut. This creature has excellent knowledge of machinery. And also…’

Only the communicator was missing. What did this imply?

Jacob had a terribly ominous thought.

“…Give me a communicator connected to the public channel.”

“Here it is.”

Taking the communicator from a member, he pressed the button.

From the connected communicator came the voice of the master he served.

“He…cap…tured…me…and…hid…under…ground…help…me.”

It sounded somewhat strange, but it was definitely Denver’s voice.

But as soon as Jacob heard that voice, he felt his blood run cold.

The impious prediction he had made was becoming reality.

“…Your Highness. Did you say the creature was a Hulk Mutant created by T&C?”

“No…I’m…being…held…captive…now…help…me.”

“Your Highness told me that T&C planned to research the creature to develop Hulk Mutants.”

As Jacob continued speaking, the members felt chills down their spines.

They too understood what the deputy commander was implying.

“That means the creature is not a monster created by T&C.”

“……”

“Your Highness, or rather, are you really His Highness who’s receiving this communication?”

“Crackle, crackle”

There was no answer to Jacob’s question from the communicator. Only static noise filled the silent warehouse.

Thinking there was nothing more to hear, Jacob was about to turn off the communicator when a sound came through.

“Your…master…is…dead…grrrr, click”

The last thing they heard was Denver’s voice, or rather, the eerie howl of “that thing.”

–

‘Tch, it didn’t work this time.’

I crushed the communicator with my combat arm. I brought it to buy time for escape, so it’s no longer useful.

‘They might be able to track it.’

I smashed it with my hand, reducing even the tiny chips to powder.

Because of the mysterious enemy, we had to take a detour, but fortunately, the kids and I were able to board the escape ship.

‘I was trying to close the door when someone came, that was close.’

All the crew members of this ship are destined to become our food, but we need to eat them after we’re far away from the city.

It would be troublesome if we attacked too early and the pilot turned the ship around or did something unnecessary.

The kids and I hid behind containers, and the female flight attendant closed the door and left the cargo hold without noticing anything.

Denver struggled to alert her somehow, but it was a futile effort.

That’s how we were able to leave the T&C Special Trade Center, the pinnacle of human advanced technology.

Through a small window in the cargo hold, I could see the hemispherical space city covered by a massive metal dome.

The space city, which had seemed enormous until I received the knight’s communication, had now shrunk enough to see its overall shape.

‘I stayed there for a long time.’

Originally, I planned to fulfill all the evolution conditions in that city, but I couldn’t achieve it. I still needed three more types for evolution, and I hadn’t completed the Cult and Volf hunting conditions.

‘No need to regret it. After this…huh?’

While I was looking at the space city through the window, suddenly the city shook violently.

From the center of the alloy plate that served as the city’s foundation, something like a black dust cloud erupted with an explosion.

The black dust cloud shot up into space but then, as if possessing self-awareness, began to cling to the city.

A large hole formed in the alloy plate that served as the city’s foundation. Everything above it was sucked into the hole and spilled out into space.

‘That’s a Gremlin torpedo… but why is the range so wide?’

As the name suggests, a Gremlin torpedo is a missile containing nanomachines that eat away at metal. It’s a weapon made by the Star Union, mainly used to strike enemy flagships.

For a moment, I wondered if this was the threat my predator sense had warned me about at the dock, but it probably wasn’t. It seems to have exploded from the city’s reactor.

‘If we had been even a little late, it would have been disastrous.’

All sorts of things were escaping through the gaps in the city eaten away by the Gremlin torpedo. If we had been late in escaping, we might have been flung into the darkness of outer space.

‘This might actually be good.’

I don’t know who committed this terrorist act, but I left many traces in that city. With that level of damage, it’s impossible to operate the city normally.

If that city becomes a tomb, the traces I left will naturally disappear.

I continued to watch the collapsing space city.

Though I couldn’t see or hear it from here, countless humans were sinking endlessly into that bottomless abyss.

‘Perhaps a fitting end for a city of sin.’

Only after the city was almost out of sight did I turn my gaze away from the window.

Egerton’s warship, which I had been wary of, was nowhere to be seen.

Whether it was swept away by the Gremlin torpedo or escaped in the opposite direction, I couldn’t tell for now.

‘If Egerton’s warship isn’t pursuing us…’

I looked down at the paralyzed Denver.

‘He’s no longer necessary.’

It would be troublesome if they ran a bio-scanner using the family’s genes.

I opened my mouth wide to eat Denver, but I felt gazes on the back of my head.

Turning around, I saw No. 26 and Adhigh Orr looking at me.

‘Hmm.’

Come to think of it, both of them had been extremely helpful until we left the city. I had only praised them verbally but hadn’t given them any gifts.

‘Let’s consider it an investment for the future.’

This incident confirmed that No. 26 and Adhigh Orr have high potential. The stronger they become, the more helpful they are for my survival.

‘Who knows what crises await us.’

Even when fighting Code Black this time, it would have been difficult to win without them.

‘Plus, there’s that unknown enemy I saw before leaving.’

I might encounter an unknown enemy or an overwhelmingly strong opponent.

Until I evolve sufficiently and acquire characteristics, they need to help me.

‘…Well, I can’t ignore personal closeness either.’

I didn’t have any friends even when I was human. Neither in reality nor in games.

My relationship with my family couldn’t be called good even as a polite lie.

Perhaps that’s why.

I couldn’t deny that I had grown attached to both of them.

Anyway, for these two reasons—investment for the future and personal feelings—I decided to yield just this once.

[Zz zz z(Eat this)]

“If big one doesn’t eat, I won’t eat either.”

“Adult” “Meal” “Together”

[Zz zzz(I’m fine)]

“If big one doesn’t eat, I won’t eat either.”

“Agree”

I had generously decided to give up this tasty food, but they refused. When we ate Code Red’s hand, they wanted to share, and it seems they want to do the same this time.

‘Tsk. This isn’t what I intended.’

[Zz zzz zzz(Then let’s eat together)]

“Yes!”

“I” “Joy”

Having reached an agreement, we all looked at Denver lying on the ground.

Denver, anticipating what we were about to do, gave us a look begging us not to.

“Mmph!”

Because he was paralyzed, I couldn’t understand what he was saying, but it probably wasn’t anything important.

I wonder if Denver knows.

The only thing he can provide right now.

Is fresh meat.