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Chapter 140

‘Where am I?’

Upon opening my eyes, I saw numerous tubes resembling ancient catacombs in a dark communal space. Green glass tubes, hundreds, if not thousands of them, were laid out inside, resembling some kind of ancient burial ground rather than a research facility.

‘Why am I here?’

When I transcended into the astral state, and then from astral to transcendent, I experienced visions. The former involved a meeting with Amorph, while the latter was a fantasy involving memories from my childhood. Both were different kinds of illusions, but they were based on elements I had seen or stored in my memory. However, this place was a completely unfamiliar space, not encountered in reality or any game.

‘Moreover, there were no such occurrences during transcendence.’

Is the second stage of transcendence different from the first? Does displaying hallucinations during evolution mean that it enhances one’s growth?

‘…It might be an unfamiliar place in my memory but could be an important clue.’

After all, there’s plenty of time until transcendence is complete. I approached one of the nearby glass tubes.

Inside, it was filled with a viscous green chemical substance. The liquid was so opaque that it was impossible to see what was inside, but the apparatus’s assessment was different.

There’s something inside that liquid.

I brought my face close to the experiment tube. As the slender apparatus was about to touch the surface of the tube, the communal space I stood in changed to a white space in an instant. The glass tube in front shattered, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Instead of the harsh chemical scent, a familiar antiseptic smell permeated, and the sound of life support devices measuring a patient’s vital signs echoed. I knew where this was. But what caught my attention more than anything was what I had seen a moment ago.

‘What was that just now?’

Before the experiment tube disappeared, the object inside was briefly exposed. It was the offspring of some creature, strangely familiar but unidentifiable.

“If you hadn’t taken them that day, this wouldn’t have happened!”

A sudden scream, as if trying to erase my thoughts.

Two adults with unseen faces argued in the corridor in front of the hospital room.

“Are you blaming me for that? Do you know who’s paying the expensive medical bills?”

“Huh. Medical bills? You don’t even care about the kid.”

“What?”

“All that cuteness for the camera or for our lovely child is just an act. Have you ever hugged our child at home?”

Their conversation was filled with the same arguments I had heard since childhood. They always fought with the same repertoire.

But now, there’s something more important than that.

The experimental subject I saw earlier, it was undoubtedly similar to Amorph’s hatchling.

‘Not entirely the same, though.’

The number of arms and the absence of auxiliary devices were quite different from the Amorph I knew. The creature’s arms were less developed than Amorph’s hatchling, and there were no auxiliary devices under its chin.

As I contemplated the creature, the half-open door of the hospital room in front of me revealed a child. The child had their face tightly wrapped in bandages. Seeing that sight, a memory suddenly flashed.

‘Ah, was it back then?’

The hallucination I was witnessing was one of the pivotal moments in my life. Recalling that fact, I could no longer continue thinking about the experimental creature.

It was the day I realized that what was once a precious gift in my household had become a burden.

Whether the nurse saw the child or not, the child closed the door as I unconsciously reached for the doorknob. The moment my fingers touched the doorknob, my consciousness once again plunged into darkness.

In a forest in the Seintopia 02 continent, despite being daytime, it was quite dark due to the giant redwoods that rivaled high-rise buildings. The dense branches and leaves obscured the light.

In the midst of this dark forest, there was a group of individuals. A total of 10 people, all wearing reinforced suits that covered their entire bodies, adorned with special symbols on top.

The symbol, a purple diamond within an ivory triangle, was the emblem of the ‘Warriors,’ the military force of the Cult race.

True to their name, they carried various types of weapons, from melee weapons like axes, knives, and spears to long-range firearms like bows, rifles, and net guns. They also had alloy shields, shield activation devices, medical kits, and other defense and support equipment.

The Cult Warriors always prepared thoroughly to handle any enemy they might encounter. Therefore, they were excessively armed to easily deal with any adversary they might face.

“Here’s Warrior Chief Lice. What about your side?”

[This is Edrin. The village has been completely razed. There are no survivors.]

“Again? What in the world is happening? How about the other villages?”

[This is Orlai. I checked the memory site, but nothing came up.]

This Warrior group, affiliated with the Imperial flagship ‘Damos 08’s Adjudicator,’ had come down in advance under the captain’s confidential orders before the purification operation commenced.

The order was to capture and bring back the native Wolves before the purification operation began. However, despite having arrived on the continent where the Wolves reside hours ago, not a single Wolf was found.

“Could it be that we were detected?”

“That’s unlikely. Detecting the Imperial flagship’s warp navigation by primitive tribes is impossible.”

“What about the structures of those monkeys wandering outside the planet? Could that be the cause?”

“We haven’t confirmed any intelligence indicating that MegaCorp is collaborating with the Wolves on this planet. It’s currently unknown, so refrain from making assumptions.”

“Yes, sir!”

“For now, Edrin, Orlai, continue your search since we have time.”

[Understood, Warrior Chief.]

“Yes.”

“We will commence the fleet bombardment in six hours. Investigate until two hours remain, and if nothing is found, return.”

Warrior Chief Lice pressed the button on his helmet to terminate the telepathic link. The helmet he wore was quite different from the reinforced headgear worn by primitive tribes.

Though it shared the same front-face protection, the Cult’s helmets had gaps around the occipital region due to the horns adorning their heads. Additionally, the helmets had built-in shield and telepathy functions. Thanks to the internal devices, communication with allies at a distance was possible without the need for special communication devices.

However, the drawback was the significant mental energy consumption, making it impractical to keep the telepathy function always active.

Beside him, the sub-commander warrior, Isabel, approached.

“Warrior Chief, have we still not found anything?”

“It’s incomprehensible. It’s as if someone swept away all the Wolves. Why would anyone do such a thing?”

Initially, he considered the possibility of piracy, but Lice deemed it unlikely. Wolf slaves were not as valuable as the pirates would target. In places where the Cult had some presence among their various planets, obtaining Wolves was easy and inexpensive.

If the Wolves on this planet were not unique, capturing other creatures would bring in much greater profits. For example, rare predators like Gel Armana in the swamp or the horned king, Manuk Arma, in the volcanic zone.

By the way, the creatures known as Manuk Arma, called Hound Gargants by humans, were living perfectly well. Before Lice and the Warriors arrived in this forest, they had checked the Wolf settlement near the territory of those creatures.

“Didn’t the captain, who usually detests the slave system, order to bring the Wolves? Don’t the natives get dried up without them? Looks like there’s something for the Wolves to eat here.”

Laughter escaped from the helmets of the other warriors next to her at her innuendo. Seeing that, Lice furrowed his brows.

“Isabel, being the vice-commander, your statement is not only disrespectful to the captain but also denies the ‘order’ of the Cult. Exercise restraint.”

“Oh, I-I apologize!”

In response to Lice’s cold words, Isabel quickly lowered her head. The other warriors also immediately stopped their laughter, following Isabel’s lead.

Seeing this, Lice clicked his tongue.

“Seems like you’ve all had enough rest. Let’s get moving again.”

“Yes, sir!”

Despite the displeasure of their commander, the Warriors efficiently picked up their equipment and stood up. Their well-coordinated movements showcased their highly trained warrior skills.

However, even as Lice watched his well-trained subordinates, he couldn’t shake off the dissatisfaction. He knew why the captain of the Imperial flagship sent them to this planet, going so far as to break his beliefs. It was to prepare a gift to present to the leaders of the Cult in exchange for the future of his subordinates.

To think that these young warriors, vibrant in their blue uniforms, were making jokes without understanding the captain’s noble intentions. Lice was filled with frustration.

‘I guess I’ll have to start from scratch when I get back.’

As Lice contemplated how to manage his subordinates, the Warrior group continued deeper into the forest.

There were occasional encounters with Wood Devils or Night Stalkers, but the Warriors remained unfazed. They were seasoned soldiers and a proficient regular army. Unless they encountered a predator like Manuk Arma, there was no creature on this continent that could pose a threat to them.

Moreover, their Soul Link, a psychic power technique connecting their visions, made surprise attacks ineffective.

Thus, under the leadership of Lice, the Warrior group continued searching for the Wolves somewhere in the depths of the forest.

About 30 minutes into their renewed journey, Lice, leading at the forefront, meticulously inspected even the small traces between rocks and branches to not miss any signs.

While continuing their journey, something unfamiliar caught his eye. Among thick trees, he spotted a pink balloon. To get a closer look, he tried to use the psychic power technique of clairvoyance, but by the time he prepared the technique, the balloon had disappeared.

“Warrior Chief?”

All ten members present here shared their vision through Soul Link. Lice intended to inquire with his subordinates about what he had seen.

At that moment,

“Ugh?!”

“Uugh!”

Lice and the warriors abruptly grasped their helmets at the unexpected noise. The duration of the noise was very short, but the moment it continued, it was so loud and dissonant that it made their minds feel distant. One warrior even kneeled due to dizziness.

Seeing this, Lice immediately gave orders.

“Permission to use universal kits! Since we don’t know what impact the noise had on our minds, inject yourselves with the antidote and psychic defense immediately!”

Upon hearing the command, the warriors quickly opened their medical kits and took out syringes from them. Lice, like his subordinates, retrieved a syringe and injected it into his thigh.

“What was that just now?”

“…I don’t know. Vice-Commander Isabel. Confirm the abnormal signs of the warriors.”

“Yes, Warrior Chief.”

They waited in that spot for about five minutes. Some warriors had blood coming out of their eyes and ears, but other than that, there were no specific injuries.

“We don’t know when the enemy might appear. Be meticulous and check even the small things so that nothing is overlooked.”

“Understood!”

The warriors, now more tense than before, assumed a cautious posture and proceeded through the forest with careful movements.

About five minutes into their renewed journey, Lice suddenly felt something odd.

“…It’s too quiet.”

Until the noise incident occurred, occasional sounds of Wood Devils attacking or birds chirping were heard. But now, there was nothing at all. It was as if the entire forest had died.

The only sounds were the footsteps and breaths of the warrior group present here.

Lice wasn’t the only one having such thoughts. The discomfort mixed with the breath sounds of the other warriors.

As an unknown anxiety began to creep over the warrior group, suddenly, one warrior started shooting with the purple spray gun he was holding.

Since their vision was shared through Soul Link, Lice could know what the subordinate was shooting at. The target was a tree about several dozen meters away from them.

And there was nothing on the tree.

“T..the e..eyes..the.eyes…hiiik!”

“What eyes? What eyes are you talking about?”

“The pink one, it’s still… Hiik?!”

Despite Lice’s repeated questions, the warrior only kept uttering the words ‘eyes’ and ‘pink.’

Unable to get more information, Lice reluctantly took a sedative from his kit and administered it forcefully.

The sedative developed by the cult was highly effective in calming soldiers who fell into panic states during war. The vision of a warrior who received the sedative became blurry, and the trembling of the body stopped. However, despite the strong sedative effect, shadows still lingered on his face.

“Feeling calmer now?”

“…Yes.”

“What did you see a moment ago?”

The warrior shivered again in response to his question, but this time, he didn’t fall completely into a panic state. Despite trembling with fear, he tried hard to convey information.

“I-I know it’s hard to believe, but there was a monster that looked like a balloon.”

“A balloon?”

“At first, I thought I saw it wrong, but suddenly, numerous eyes grew on its body, and it stared at me.”

A monster resembling a balloon. Lice recalled what he had seen before the deafening noise erupted.

“No way.”

“I’ll check the vision! The rest of you, don’t let your guard down… Huh?”

While checking the vision of the warriors once again through Soul Link, Lice realized that one of them was missing.

There were supposed to be 10 people present, including him, but currently, only 8 visions were confirmed.

“Koshei? Where’s Koshei?”

“Uh, behind me… huh? He was behind me just a moment ago.”

The warrior guarding the rear suddenly realized that his colleague, who should have been behind him, had disappeared.

Amidst the confusion caused by the subordinate’s strange mental state, it became apparent that one person was missing.

“Isabel, contact the battleship.”

“Yes?”

“Our squad is under attack.”

“U..understood!”

Lice’s words were accurate.

Somewhere in the forest, unidentified beasts lurked. Their assault had already begun.