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Chapter 175

｢Big guy?｣

Even though Number 26 seemed puzzled by the English, I didn’t respond.

It was already too late to escape the blast radius. This was the only way to save Number 26 from the explosion.

‘Darn it!’

Thanks to my ‘Bone Beast’ trait, my body’s defense had increased dramatically, but not Number 26’s. Being a Sea Demon, it wouldn’t die from the Screamer’s self-destruction, but fatal injuries were inevitable.

‘Please, endure.’

I closed my eyes, bracing for the imminent baptism of flames.

But minutes passed.

‘Huh?’

｢Big guy, what’s wrong? Are you mad?｣

No agonizing pain engulfed my body, just the cold air within the ice corridor.

I opened my eyes and checked the Screamer.

[PS-111. Additional damage occurred due to external impact. Current damage report: 87%.]

Embedded in the ice wall, the Screamer mechanically murmured, blood seeping white, showing no response.

‘What happened?’

Only then did I realize something was off about this Screamer.

While under the control of machines, Screamers operated based on biological principles. Only androids could survive with just their heads intact.

‘It doesn’t seem like an android.’

I focused on the auxiliary organs to examine its appearance closely. It seemed much more lifelike than an android.

Androids conducting espionage mimic humans well, but it was unlikely for a Screamer to have such capabilities.

‘I’m frustrated.’

As I silently observed, Number 26 slipped out of my embrace and darted outside. Then, upon seeing the Screamer pinned to the wall, it emitted a bright glow.

｢Ahh! My friend’s hurt!｣

[PS-111. Advising the main controller. Hostile organism detected. Please retreat.]

Number 26’s body color, which had darkened with each distressing event, indicated his discomfort. I knew this well, having seen it turn closer to purple-pink every time I was severely injured.

As Number 26, with slightly darkened body color, pulled out tentacles and retrieved the pinned Screamer from the wall.

｢Are you okay, friend?｣

[Reporting to the main controller. Current recovery progress: 0.5%.]

As Number 26 set the Screamer down, six metallic legs resembling spider legs protruded from its neck area. At that sight, I couldn’t help but think of extraterrestrial creatures from classic SF horror films set in Antarctic research bases.

The eerie Screamer head, with its metallic legs moving diligently, stood before Number 26. Its appearance seemed as if it were protecting Number 26.

｢Friend!｣

[There is a 95% chance that hostile organisms pose a threat to the main controller. Disregard.]

Number 26 seemed confused about what to do between me and the Screamer.

｢How could this happen?｣

Given the extraordinary circumstances, it was hard for me to understand too.

｢Big guy, it looks like our friend is hurt.｣

[ZZZ (Silence)]

｢Yeah.｣

Perhaps my emotions seeped into the waves, as I unintentionally spoke coldly. Number 26 curled up like a child who had secretly brought home a puppy.

‘…Let’s examine this carefully.’

Fortunately, the Screamer didn’t self-destruct, but that didn’t mean the situation was okay. This was the first time Number 26 had acted independently since meeting me, and it wasn’t just play or feeding—it led to a major incident.

‘I hid a danger from it.’

If the Screamer had harmed Number 26, it might not have been here. No, it might not have escaped serious injury, even to the point of death.

Of course, I needed to reprimand it, but there were things to consider first.

I looked at Number 26 emitting a pink light in the darkness. Though he seemed to shrink at my apparent anger, he didn’t immediately discard the Screamer.

In other words, it might have developed mercy.

As an Amorph, I inevitably had to take the lives of other creatures. It was the only way for me to evolve, the only way for me to survive. None of my colleagues were unaware of this point.

Except for the Mother of the Sky, who had her goals. That is, to kill enemies and comfort the souls of her family.

Anyway, since everyone understood my nature, I could come here, to the Gallagon’s Nest, with them.

Originally, I would have spent a long time gathering the traits necessary for Apex hunting. But since my weaknesses were complemented by them, there was no need for that.

But if Number 26 started to value life here, it would greatly hinder my hunting activities. Especially if the one among us who handled psychic powers the best was absent, Gallagon hunting would become extremely difficult.

“Moreover…”

The problem doesn’t end here.

Number 26’s sudden actions might be evidence of its growth.

In other words, this might happen again in the future. As it gets smarter, it’ll inevitably clash with me more often.

Not just Number 26. Even Adhai might become similar as she grows. Adhai is younger than Number 26, after all.

‘I won’t solve the problem by coming out oppressively from this position.’

I need collaborators to complement my weaknesses, not slaves. If I want to maintain a positive relationship with them in the future, I need to pay even more attention to it.

‘You have to start things right.’

As a child’s ego grows, they naturally want to break away from their parents’ gaze. At such times, I know better than anyone that if there is a conflict with the parents, it will last a lifetime.

Regardless of the circumstances, reprimanding Number 26 is a given, but I need to choose my words carefully so that he can understand.

After gathering my thoughts, I spoke to Number 26.

[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ(Do you know how dangerous that is?)]

｢Is our friend in danger?｣

[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZZ (If it explodes, we’ll all get hurt.)]

｢Really? More dangerous than a bang-bang?｣

[ZZZ (Yes.)]

Upon hearing that the Screamer was more dangerous than a plasma launcher, Number 26’s body turned pale.

It wasn’t a lie. The self-destruct I witnessed seemed over 20 times more dangerous than a plasma launcher. Of course, I wouldn’t die, but there was no need to mention that.

｢I don’t want the big guy to get hurt!｣

[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZ ZZZ (Me neither. So please, trust me and help.)]

｢Yeah…｣

Seeing it trembling like it did when it was experimented on by MegaCorp researchers, I felt a sudden pang of guilt. But I steeled my heart.

[ZZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZ (Where did you get it from?)]

｢I saw it when I was eating a big bad one. It hurt a lot, so…｣

Come to think of it, we talked about the Mother of the Sky and the Screamer during the day.

While rummaging through bodies to eat their hearts, she found scraps of Screamers in her organs. Based on the debris collected, Ice Horrors had consumed at least ten Screamers.

According to the Mother of the Sky, judging by the broken traces, it seemed like they were eaten or ambushed by Ice Horrors before they could self-destruct.

‘It had the same composition as the Screamers that were hunting Winter Walkers.’

That’s why we concluded that StarUnion was conducting secret Screamer development experiments on this planet. They were probably pitted against powerful predators like Ice Horrors or Winter Walkers to test their combat effectiveness.

[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ (One more thing.)]

｢Yeah?｣

[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ (Why did you save it?)]

｢That’s…｣

It hesitated without answering my question.

It would be very difficult if it said it did it out of pity.

‘Let’s not be anxious.’

Coming out oppressively would only backfire. I waited patiently.

After a moment of silence, it sent me cautious waves.

｢I’ve smelled kinship since the first time I saw it.｣

[ZZZZ (Kinship?)]

｢Yeah. I brought it to prevent it from hurting, because my friend said it hurt.｣

Come to think of it, when I was hiding, Number 26 had handed something to the Screamer, instructing it to eat.

[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ (Shall we try again?)]

Upon hearing my waves, Number 26 pulled out its tentacles. Violet threads like those used in its ‘restraint’ technique emerged from the tentacles, piercing the metal holes on the Screamer’s back of the head.

At that moment, the Screamer’s eyes rolled back, and mechanical sounds emanated from its mouth.

[PS-111. Confirming an increase in power recharge rate from 5% to 6%.]

‘Feeding the sick makes them feel better.’

Seeing that, I roughly understood the situation.

‘Bubble amoeba or Sea Demon genes must have been incorporated.’

With that in mind, I could understand the Screamer’s characteristic of being able to survive even with just its head.

The two organisms resembling slimes can manipulate and shrink important organs like the brain as they please. Thanks to this feature, Sea Demons can survive even with just one-thousandth of their body.

‘Only the necessary organs were shrunk and placed inside the face.’

If this Screamer had genes from a bubble amoeba or Sea Demon, it wouldn’t be impossible.

This also explains why Number 26, with a completely different communication system, can communicate with the Screamer.

[Power recharge rate at 10%. Will be utilized for biological function enhancement.]

When he spoke, I felt a very faint flow of waves. Perhaps to Number 26, it sounded much more indistinct than what Adhai would say.

Considering that Number 26, a fellow who was in a lot of pain and couldn’t speak properly, would have felt much more pity for the screamer.

‘It’s deeply empathetic.’

It’s a much better situation than I feared, but there are still problems.

‘The same thing might happen again when encountering new Screamer types with bubble amoeba or Sea Demon genes.’

Number 26, understanding the meaning of my words, puffed up in surprise. Looking at his white body, it seemed unlikely that it would make another impromptu move.

[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ (That should be fine.)]

As a finishing touch, I sent a warning wave.

[ZZZZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZ (I have a responsibility to protect my family. You’ll understand my intentions too.)]

｢Yeah, I understand.｣

[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ (When you see a new friend, let me know. Got it?)]

｢I got it…｣

Seeing the dejected Number 26, I felt uneasy, but it couldn’t be helped. It’s never good to have such surprises while fighting dozens or hundreds of Screamers.

Having concluded my warning to Number 26, I turned to the Screamer glaring at me.

‘Now, how do we deal with this next?’

I picked up the Screamer’s head with my fingers.

Moments ago, it had metal legs attached to its face, but now its appearance had changed. Tentacles and protrusions that hadn’t been visible before were now sticking out around its cheeks and jaw. Furthermore, the broken tubes had flesh protruding from them, transforming into a semi-organic form.

‘Is it a self-recovery function?’

The one who just absorbed the psychic power from Number 26 was likely using the energy to regenerate his body.

[Threat detected from hostile organism. Initiating counterattack.]

｢Hey! Big guy! He’s one of my kind! Don’t hurt him!｣

As the entity transformed into an even more grotesque form and resisted by poking my fingers with its metallic legs, Number 26 intervened.

“Main controller’s command confirmed. Ceasing counterattack.”

The Screamer immediately halted its resistance upon Number 26’s words. It seemed to recognize Number 26 as its superior, possibly due to shared genetic material.

｢Hey, buddy. You should listen to the big guy. Got it?｣

[Reclassifying hostile organism. Reclassification to sub-controller status complete. Access to the internal database granted.]

With the adjustments made, the Screamer folded its metallic legs and calmly looked up at me.

[Pleased to meet you, sub-controller. How may I assist you?]

Originally, my plan was to scold Number 26 and then devour the Screamer. However, witnessing the creature obediently pleading to Number 26 altered my thoughts slightly.

‘I could extract some information.’

I activated one of the functions of my mimicry organ, the voice imitation feature.

“Who are you?”

[My code name is PS-111. I am a PS-grade intermediate terminal model commanding lower-grade Screamers on behalf of the main controller.]

The head-only Screamer, PS-111, served as a sort of field commander.

“Surprising. Screamers usually don’t have commanders, right?”

[That was the case until the old model. The previous main controller, ‘Pira Eleven,’ identified the limitations of that model and, under the approval of the Supreme Controller, began development of a new model called the ‘Mutant Screamer.’]

“Limitations, you say?”

[The vulnerable durability of organic entities synchronized with Screamer machines, low resistance to psychic power, and lack of tactical thinking.]

The three points he mentioned were persistent weaknesses of Screamers.

‘It was a system-constrained issue, but this is reality.’

Using Hulk mutants as material could drastically enhance the performance of non-mechanical components. Additionally, bestowing psychic power abilities was a bonus.

The issue lies in tactical thinking, but it’s not incomprehensible.

Freethinking and action are not permitted for Screamer units resembling punitive units. Therefore, the approach of selectively integrating higher-grade entities to assist was chosen.

“Indeed. So, you’re a commander-grade Mutant Screamer.”

[That’s correct.]

“Pira Eleven, you said? Why was the main controller changed?”

[Internal data damage caused by an attack from the 7th-grade hazard creature ‘Ice Horror’ led to system initialization. The new main controller registered at that time is the 8th-grade ‘Sea Demon.’]

Hearing that, I had a hunch.

‘The psychic drill fired by Number 26.’

When that immensely powerful psychic attack tore apart the internals of the Ice Horror, he likely received the aftermath.

I asked again.

‘Let’s move on to the next question. Explain the genes in your body. What organisms do they belong to, and who manipulated them?’

[The genes applied to my body…]

PS-111 listed the biological information contained within his body meticulously. As expected, there was a small amount of Sea Demon genes included.

‘Cold-blooded genes are unexpected.’

The Screamer I met last time and this one both had a significant proportion of cold-blooded genes. While it’s true that beneficial traits can be obtained from cold-blooded organisms, they aren’t overwhelmingly powerful. There’s no need to include them in Hulk mutant materials for Screamers.

‘Is there something I don’t know?’

While pondering internally, the Screamer’s speech continued.

[Five types of genes have been injected into my body. Genetic manipulation was handled by research supervisor Cloe Garamelda and senior researcher Lee Zhao.]

“Wait. Garamelda and Zhao? Are they from the MegaCorp families?”

[Yes. Both researchers are affiliated with Noble Capital and Prime Capital within MegaCorp.]

Upon hearing his words, I realized that my conjecture was correct.

The overlords of StarUnion, Garamelda of MegaCorp’s Noble Capital, and Zhao of Prime Capital. They are individuals who could be considered the leaders of MegaCorp and StarUnion, respectively. It’s a situation where the leaders of warring factions are colluding.

‘Most likely a player.’

I looked down at PS-111 lying in my palm.

I’ve obtained almost all the information I can from him, and only the most important question remains. Depending on his answer, I’ll decide his fate.

“Is there a possibility that the main controller, Pira Eleven, could seize control?”

[It’s impossible until the system is reset to unlock the firewall.]

“Can other intermediate terminals change the main controller like you?”

If this is possible, I can leverage Screamers made by enemies. It would be helpful in hunting Gallagons and would provide significant power when fighting players in the future.

However, PS-111’s response dashed my expectations.

[Control changes due to damage are no longer possible.]

“Why is that?”

[Before I broke free from Pira Eleven’s control, I reported the possibility of this error. By now, the vulnerable part of the control should have been fixed.]

This means that it’s impossible for Number 26 to take control of another Screamer like PS-111.

‘In that case, is it advantageous to devour him?’

As if sensing my thoughts, the entity on my palm added further remarks.

[However, I can access the circuits used by lower-grade entities, S models.]

“Does that mean you can spy on other Screamers’ operations?”

[Not only spying, but limited control over S models is also possible.]

“Limited control?”

[You can physically contact the Screamer machine to seize control.]

The Screamer machine refers to the scorpion or spider-shaped mechanical device that encases the biological material used to create Screamers. True to their nickname as StarUnion’s punitive force, all bodily activities of Screamers are controlled by the Screamer machine.