Vicus couldn’t believe what was happening right in front of him. Signals appearing consecutively on the monitoring screen—it was pure chaos.
“What is going on here!”
Although it was clearly an abnormal situation, Vicus didn’t immediately deploy Team 4.
“…Assessing the situation takes precedence.”
Vicus summoned the Crisis Management Team Leader and the Human Resources Team Leader, both present at the scene.
A sturdy man and a neatly dressed woman approached Vicus in the camp.
“Take a look at this.”
“What is this?”
“Well…”
Both of them sighed as they looked at the monitoring screen. They hadn’t anticipated such a situation.Vicus asked the vice leader, “Could this be due to issues like radio interference?”
“Recently, due to the EMP countermeasures, radio instability has been a problem throughout the city, but it shouldn’t cause issues like this.”
“Then, could all this be caused by deserters?”
“The likelihood is slim, but probably…”
The vice leader hesitated in his words. Vicus turned his gaze to the Human Resources Team Leader.
The team leader shook his head as if to say it was impossible.
“It’s impossible. Since they all have obedience devices implanted in their heads, they know they’ll die if they desert.”
“Then, can we confirm the deserters with the signals from the obedience devices right here and now?”
“Are you suggesting comparing the two signals?”
“Yes.”
“Let me check.”
The team leader manipulated the terminal pad and connected it to the signal management device. After tapping the pad for a while, two types of signals appeared on the screen, overlapping in location.
“This shouldn’t be happening. It seems like they’ve all deserted.”
“Is that possible?”
“Well, I’ve never seen anything like this before.”
The team leader manipulated the pad with an expression of disbelief several more times, but the results remained the same. Numerous signals were frenziedly dancing on the screen, rebels who refused to follow orders.
“It seems like all of this is happening only in Team 3.”
Was there an unusually high number of dissenters in Team 3? Vicus wondered with these doubts in mind as he glanced at the team leader, but she was resolute that it couldn’t be.
“At T&C Special Trading Hub, we always adhere to the principle of providing customers with only the highest-quality products. Items discovered to be defective through strict inspections are immediately discarded without delivery.”
“Hmm.”
Vicus thought his words were probably correct. If such incidents were to occur frequently, the Special Trading Hub would never be able to operate.
“Vice Commander, something seems off with the signals.”
“Strange?”
“When observing the signals from deserters, they seem to be clustering in a few places.”
“They aren’t moving as a group?”
“Even if we assume that, they’re too close. It’s as if one or two individuals are carrying multiple devices and chips together.”
“It’s impossible for individuals to detach the devices. They’re deeply embedded in the brain, so without special equipment, they can’t be removed.”
Upon hearing their words, a fleeting thought crossed Vicus’s mind.
‘It’s a trap.’
The creature they were chasing was a very sinister entity. Although he didn’t know what trick it had pulled, they shouldn’t overlook the possibility that this situation was a trap created by the creature.
‘He has various special abilities. Among them, he might have the ability to control humans.’
The Silver Knight Order of Eden had collected various genes for use in Hulk mutants.
This meant they had experienced battles with extremely dangerous wild creatures several times. Vicus himself had survived in intense battles where more than half of his comrades had died. Therefore, he never underestimated the enemy.
“Team Leader of Human Resources.”
“Yes?”
“In my opinion, the enemy might have set a trap. So, I request this. Can we activate the obedience devices from here?”
“….”
Activating the obedience devices generated extremely harmful electromagnetic waves in the human body. The power of the electromagnetic waves was so strong that it could turn the brain into something resembling eggs in a microwave.
Of course, there were no survivors if the brain melted.
“Even if the obedience devices are activated, and the signals continue to move, it’s likely that the creature is where the signal is.”
Vicus judged that the creature had the signal device. Either it was controlling deserters in an unknown way, or it had swallowed deserters and had a signal device inside its body. In any case, it was certain that the creature was among the signals.
The vice leader nodded in agreement with Vicus’s opinion, but the team leader showed an unwelcoming expression.
He opened his mouth with neatly arranged eyebrows, clearly displeased.
“I might not be the one who promised the resources, but are you planning to waste such valuable resources?”
“I wouldn’t just throw them away. The one we’re chasing is a highly intelligent biohazard. With its intelligence, it could easily use the deserters to disrupt signals.”
“Is that true, Vice Commander?”
“I agree with the Vice Commander’s opinion. The creature has already escaped Androids and police investigations several times in the Harbor Zone and Residential Zone. Exposing its scheme using decoys would be advantageous.”
“If the obedience devices are activated, most of the signals here will likely stop. Among them, if there’s a moving signal, that’s probably the one the creature is sending.”
The team leader voiced a counter-opinion to their statements.
“We always maintain the maximum output of the obedience devices to prepare for unexpected situations. If electromagnetic waves are emitted, the signal devices should stop functioning, right?”
“That’s not a problem. Items manufactured for military use can withstand strong electromagnetic waves and shocks.”
Upon the Vice commander’s response, the team leader sighed briefly.
“…Let’s hope it’s not a waste. I will activate the obedience devices.”
He manipulated the terminal pad, and shortly afterward, a message window asking to activate the obedience devices appeared on the screen. With a light touch on the pad, the various signals on the screen froze as if time had stopped.
Those who had entered the sewer with the futile dream of freedom died in the filth.
“Where are you? Where are you hiding?”
The three of them watched the screen with bated breath.
Beep! Beep!
‘He’s here!’
At that moment, one signal on the screen began to move again.
Vicus quickly raised his communication device.
“Team 1, Vicus! Inform Teams 2 and 3! The moving signal from the signal device is the creature! Send the standby units to pursue it!”
[Team 2, Jacob, receiving orders.]
“Alright, understood.”
During the communication, Vicus secretly pressed a button on a small device hidden in his pocket. This would have signaled Yannick, who was on standby on the surface.
“You! I will not let you escape!”
Operation Ghost Hunt.
Vicus believed that the operation would be successful without a doubt.
***
‘The human psyche is truly fascinating.’
Once suspicions arise, they seem endless. On the contrary, when belief takes hold, even a slight ‘oddity’ can be easily overlooked. Just like now.
Before me, a makeshift structure made of bones had a silver helmet placed on top. If you were to ask where the owner of the helmet went, half would be in my stomach, and the other half would be finely chopped and attached to my combat arm.
‘Things are going well.’
The enemies still have no idea what is happening here. I took a bite out of the knight’s leg I was holding. Juicy flesh and juices flowed within the rigid armor, as if life were being extracted, much like peeling a crab.
One advantage of being an Amorph is having strong teeth, allowing me to chew on live creatures without the need for tools.
‘Employees weren’t particularly tasty, to be honest, but it’s fortunate.’
Except for the person I implanted with parasites, I devoured around dozens of remaining humans. However, they all lacked taste. It wouldn’t matter if they were tasteless, but the predator effect only activated once and never again.
‘Still, I got a good trait, so I should take comfort in that.’
The trait I gained from devouring employees was called ‘Dexterity.’ As the name suggests, it enhanced the functionality of my hands to the point where I could engage in workshop activities. With the application of Dexterity, the small arm near my chest became capable of various activities compared to before.
For example, the bone structure in front of me— a product made from gathering bones and flesh of employees using the small arm. Fixed on the sewer floor with a shallow hole, it had enough durability to withstand strong impacts as long as I didn’t create strong currents.
As long as I didn’t disturb the water significantly, the possibility of the bone structure collapsing was low. Thanks to this, I could comfortably place the knight’s helmet on it and enjoy my meal.
‘Modified humans do taste better after all.’
Shall we call it the threshold of taste? After eating tasteless things and suddenly consuming something delicious, it feels more than just good; it’s as if a tune is involuntarily hummed.
Having finished consuming all parts of the knight, I picked up the communication device and stood up.
‘By now, they’ve probably realized that something has happened underground over there.’
I first attacked five teams among the employees who entered the sewer, planted parasites, and waited until each team had completed their designated routes.
‘After turning the designated points, they should be switching routes with each other.’
Once they finished their routes, all teams from the third squad would converge at one place—where they initially started, the communal area where I was until recently.
Waiting for them was not a knight but me.
After eliminating all except five, I distributed the chips and devices obtained from the dead to those five. One of them protested about being naked, but my solution was simple.
‘Just swallow it.’
Growling, all five obediently followed my words.
Only one of them, out of those who now stored devices and chips inside their bodies, remained. The rest were freed to go outside the sewer as they pleased.
‘Escape is probably impossible.’
In reality, the future was predetermined, but they didn’t let go of the thread of hope. Believing that somehow they could survive if they left this place, they left the communal area.
‘It’s about time to take care of this too.’
I grabbed a corpse maggot that was swimming in the water. The maggot resisted as I held it, but when I applied a bit of force, it soon became quiet.
Holding the living maggot, I approached the only remaining employee to whom I hadn’t let go. In the distance, I could see someone struggling through the murky water, and it was Brody, the survivor from Squad 15, the first one I attacked. Just in case, I had ordered him to move according to the originally planned route.
As I approached, he trembled and handed me devices and chips.
“I-Is this enough for you to let me go? Right?”
It was a question that didn’t need an answer, so I didn’t bother responding. Those present here would die anyway, even if the obedience device wasn’t activated, as they were likely infected with Cosmic bacteria from my body.
“P-Please! Please spare me… Huh?!”
Brody, who had been pleading with me, suddenly stopped in his tracks. Then he grabbed his head with both hands.
“A-Aaargh! Agh! It hurts so much! Aaargh!”
Brody, seemingly forgetting I was in front of him, started screaming as if he had gone insane. Smoke emanated from his ears, and the hand tearing at his head turned a sickly shade of red.
‘It’s starting.’
They must have detected the deserter and activated the obedience devices. Seeing Brody, who was moving according to the designated route, suffering so painfully, it seemed like they were planning to kill all the employees from Squad 3.
Next, I felt a strong wave and heat emanating from the obedience device in my hand. The electromagnetic waves emitted by the obedience device were quite powerful. Therefore, even just holding it caused significant harm to ordinary people.
‘It was made for this purpose in the first place.’
I looked at the obedience device, emitting deadly electromagnetic waves, on my hand. My body, being an Amorph, was unaffected. Amorph’s skin, even without special features, was resilient with high fire resistance, radiation immunity, and other favorable effects. It could survive in space for a certain period, so this place’s only problem was the abundance of plasma energy, psychic powers, and numerous transcendental weapons in the space survival world.
Anyway, Brody, who didn’t have a brain as robust as Amorph’s outer shell, couldn’t resist the electromagnetic waves from the obedience device. Completely fried, he collapsed.
I discarded the non-functional obedience device and fed the signal chip to the corpse maggot. Then, I inflicted wounds on the maggot’s skin until blood flowed, confirming its movements.
‘Originally, I would use parasites.’
All five parasites I could use right now were dead. Since the obedience device was designed to melt brains, the parasites attached to the brain to control the person had no chance of survival.
Even though they would be replenished, I couldn’t use them right away. Therefore, I needed to monitor the movements of this maggot, which was now powered by the signal chip.
‘It’s a bait.’
Confirming the flow of blood, I released the maggot. It disappeared into the darkness of the sewer, squeaking in fear.
I submerged myself to detect the scent of blood. The auxiliary organ under my chin easily picked up the scent of blood flowing in the water.
‘They’ll probably think the maggot is the monster they’re chasing.’
With both the signal chip and obedience device implanted in one person, if the obedience device worked, the person died. If the signal chip moved, there was only one conclusion from their perspective: that it was a monster.
‘Now they’ll think I’m a monster that eats people, right?’
I’ll take advantage of the fact that the above-ground team is likely to be in a state of disarray, pursuing the maggot in several groups. While they’re spread out, I’ll be right behind them.
When they reach the wrong target and cheer, that’s the moment I’ll strike. Just like they set a trap for me, I set a trap for them. Just like they threw bait at me, I threw bait at them.
This sewer will become the grave of arrogant enemies, the tomb of the silver knights.
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