I Became an Evolving Space Monster - Chapter 175
Ep. 175
I hastily threw Screamer’s head into my fighting hand.
And then he hugged No. 26 and curled up.
｢Big baby?｣
No. 26 gave me a wave of confusion, but I didn’t answer.
It was already too late to escape the blast radius. This method is the only way to save No. 26 from the explosion.
‘shit!’
Thanks to the application of the ‘Bone Beast’ trait, my body’s defense has increased dramatically, but this is not the case for No. 26. Since he was a Sea Demon, he would not die if caught in Screamer’s self-destruction, but fatal injuries were inevitable.
‘Please bear with me.’
I closed my eyes tightly and waited for the barrage of fire that was about to come.
A few minutes passed like that.
‘huh?’
“Big baby, why are you doing this? “Are you angry?”
No matter how long I waited, the pain that burned my whole body did not come. Just the cold air felt inside the ice passage.
I opened my eyes and checked the screamer.
“PS-111. Additional damage occurred due to external impacts. Report the current damage situation. 87% damaged.”
Screamer, pinned against the ice wall, was bleeding white blood and muttering mechanically, but did not respond in any way.
‘What happened?’
Only then did I realize that there was something different about this screamer.
Although Screamer is controlled by machines, it is a being that operates based on living things. Only androids can survive with only their heads left.
‘I don’t think it’s an Android?’
I looked closely at its appearance, focusing on its auxiliary organs. The guy was much more lively than the android.
An android that engages in espionage would be good at imitating humans, but since there’s no way they would give Screamer that ability, it’s probably not the case.
“I’m frustrated.”
While I was quietly examining him, number 26, which was in my arms, came out. And it brightened up as if it had seen the Screamer stuck on the wall.
“crying! “My friend is hurt!”
“PS-111. Advise the main controller. “Hostile creatures have been detected, please retreat.”
What I have experienced so far is that the darker the color of No. 26’s body, the worse it is in a good mood. I knew for sure because whenever I was seriously injured, I turned pink, almost purple.
Number 26, whose body color slightly darkened, pulled out a tentacle and pulled out the Screamer embedded in the wall.
｢Friend, are you okay?｣
“I will report to the main controller. “Currently 0.5% restoration is in progress.”
When No. 26 placed Screamer on the ground, six metal legs similar to spider legs protruded from Screamer’s neck. As soon as I saw it, I thought of the alter ego of an alien creature from a classic science fiction horror film set in an Antarctic research base.
The bizarre-shaped Screamer head moved its metal legs diligently and stood in front of No. 26. It looked like it was trying to protect No. 26.
“Friend!”
“95% chance that a hostile creature will pose a threat to the main controller. “I rule it out.”
Number 26 seemed to be at a loss as he didn’t know what to do between me and the screamer.
‘How can this happen?’
Since the situation was beyond common sense, it was difficult for me to understand it right away.
｢Big baby, I think my friend is sick.｣
[Zuzu (quiet)]
｢Yes.’
I said coldly without even realizing it, as if my feelings were melting into the waves. Number 26 cowered like a child who had picked up a puppy without his parents knowing.
‘…Let’s take a look at it step by step.’
It’s fortunate that Screamer didn’t self-destruct, but that doesn’t mean the situation is any better.
That’s because No. 26 acted independently for the first time since meeting me. It wasn’t just about playing or eating food, it was a very serious accident.
‘I hid a dangerous element without my knowledge.’
If Screamer had harmed No. 26, he might not have been here. No, even Aadhai could not have avoided serious injuries.
Of course I had to scold him, but there is something I need to consider before that.
I looked at No. 26, which was emitting a pink light in the dark.
The guy was very upset at the fact that I was angry, but that didn’t mean he was going to throw away the Screamer right away.
In other words, he may have developed mercy.
As an Amorph, I must inevitably take the lives of other creatures. Because that is the only way to evolve and the way I can survive. There is no one among my colleagues who does not know that.
The exception is Heavenly Mother, but she has a goal. It means comforting the souls of your family by killing your enemies.
Anyway, since everyone understood my characteristics, I was able to come to the dragon’s nest with them.
Originally, I would have spent a long time collecting the characteristics needed to hunt Apex. There is no need to do that because my shortcomings are complemented by these guys.
However, if No. 26 feels that life is precious, it will greatly hinder my hunting activities. In particular, if the one among us who is best at using psychic powers is missing, Gallagon hunting becomes very difficult.
‘Furthermore…’
The problem does not end here.
No. 26’s unexpected behavior may be evidence that he is growing up.
That means something like this may happen in the future. The smarter he gets, the more often he will come into conflict with me.
Not only No. 26. Aadhai may become similar as he grows up. Because Aadhai is younger than number 26.
‘This is not a problem that can be solved if I force myself to come out here.’
I need a helper to compensate for my weaknesses, not a slave. If you want to maintain a positive relationship with them in the future, you need to pay more attention.
‘You have to get the first button right in anything.’
It’s the same thing as when a child’s ego grows, the more he or she wants to escape the gaze of his or her parents. I know better than anyone else that if there is a conflict with parents at this time, it will last a lifetime.
Whatever the circumstances, scolding No. 26 is a given, but you need to choose your words well so that he understands.
After organizing my thoughts, I spoke to number 26.
[Zuz zuzuzu zuzuzu zuzu (Do you know how dangerous that thing is?)]
｢Is your friend in danger?｣ [
Zuz zuzuzu zuzuzu zuzuzuzu (If that thing explodes, we’ll all get hurt)]
｢Really? Is it more dangerous than Slam?」
[Z(Yes)]
No. 26’s body turned white when he heard that the Screamer was more dangerous than the Plasma Launcher.
It’s not a lie. The self-destruction of the Screamer I saw seemed to be 20 times more dangerous than the Plasla Launcher. Of course I won’t die, but there’s no need to say that.
｢I don’t want my big baby to get hurt!｣
[Zuzu zuzu zuzuzuzu zuzuzu zuzuzu (Me too. So trust me and help me)]
｢Yes….’
I was shaking like I was when I was experimented on by Megacorp researchers in the past. When I saw the guy shaking, I suddenly felt sorry. But I made up my mind.
[Zuzu zuzuzu zuzuzuzuzu (Where did you get him from?)]
｢I saw him when he was eating a big bad kid. I heard it hurts a lot…”
Then, during the day, I talked to Heavenly Mother about Screamer.
As she searched various parts of the body to extract the heart and eat it, she found the remains of a Screamer that had been digested in the intestines. According to the remains collected at the time, there were at least 10 Screamers eaten by the Ice Horror.
The Mother of Heaven said that when she saw the signs of destruction, it looked like they had been eaten or crushed by the Ice Horror before they could self-destruct.
‘It was the same configuration as the Screamer that captured Winter Walker.’
Because of that, we determined that Star Union was secretly conducting Screamer development experiments on this planet. To check how strong their fighting power is, they pitted them against powerful predators like Ice Horrors and Winter Walkers.
[Zuzuzu zu (one more thing)]
｢Yes.｣
[Zu zuzu zuzu zuzu (Why did you save him?)]
｢That….’
The guy hesitated without answering my question.
If you answer that you did it because you felt sorry for No. 26, it would be very difficult. Because that part is not something I can suppress.
‘Let’s not fret.’
If it comes out forcefully, it is counterproductive. I waited patiently.
The guy who stayed still for a moment shot a cautious wave at me.
｢From the first time I saw you, I smelled like my kin.｣
[Zuzu (same kin?)]
｢Yes. “My friend said he was sick, so I brought him here to make sure he didn’t get sick.”
Come to think of it, while I was hiding, No. 26 handed Screamer something to eat.
[Zuzzuzuzu (Want to try again?)]
No. 26 heard my wave and took out tentacles. Just like when he used the ‘binding’ technique, purple thread-like things came out from the end of the tentacle and stuck into the metal holes on the back of Screamer’s head.
Then Screamer’s eyes rolled over and a mechanical sound came out of his mouth.
“PS-111. We confirmed that the power charging rate increased from 5% to 6 6 6%.”
“If you feed sick friends, they will get better.”
When I saw that, I vaguely understood what the situation was like.
‘It contains the genes of the bubble amoeba or sea demon.’
If you think about it that way, you can understand the nature of the Screamer, which comes alive even if only its head remains.
The two slime-like creatures can move or shrink the position of vital organs such as the brain at will. Thanks to these characteristics, the Sea Demon can survive with only a few tenths of its body remaining.
‘We reduced only the necessary organs and put them inside the face.’
It is not impossible if this Screamer contains the genes of the Bubble Amoeba or Sea Demon.
It also explains why No. 26 and Screamer, who have completely different conversation systems, can communicate with each other.
“Power charge rate 10%. “We will use it to supplement biological functions.”
When he opened his mouth and spoke, I could feel the flow of very fine waves. It probably sounds much more slurred to No. 26 than what Aadhai is saying.
No. 26 must have felt even more pity for him because he was a compatriot who was very sick and could not speak properly.
‘Because he has a deep love for his fellow countrymen.’
The situation is much better than feared, but problems still remain.
‘The same thing may happen when you meet another screamer.’
It is not good if No. 26 hesitates every time he encounters new Screamers that have been implanted with the genes of the Bubble Amoeba or Sea Demon.
[Zuzuz zuzu zuzuzu zuzu (There may be a lot of friends like this in the future)]
｢Really?｣
[Zuzuzuz zuzu zuzuzu zuzu zuzu (If those friends attack me, I’ll be really hurt)]
｢Friends are good, but “I hate it when babies are in pain!”
Number 26, who understood what he meant, puffed up in surprise. When I saw the body as white as a sheet of paper, it seemed unlikely that it would make another unexpected move in the future.
‘This should be fine.’
As a finishing touch, I shot a wave containing a warning message.
[Zuz zuzuzu zuzu zuzu zuzuzu zu zuzu zuzuzu (I have a responsibility to protect my family. You know how I feel.)] ｢
Yes. I know.」
[Zuzuzu Zuzu Zuzuzu Zuzuzu Zuzuzu (Tell me when you see a new friend, okay?)]
｢Okay….’
I felt uneasy when I saw No. 26 looking glum, but I couldn’t help it. It’s never good for an unexpected situation like this to occur while fighting dozens or hundreds of screamers.
With that, I finished warning No. 26 and looked back at the Screamer, who was glaring at me.
‘Next is how to deal with this.’
I picked up Screamer with my fingers, with only the head remaining.
It was the guy who had metal legs on his face until just now, but now his appearance has changed. Tentacles and protrusions that I hadn’t seen before were also sticking out around my cheeks and chin. In addition, flesh sprouted from the broken and broken tube, turning it into a semi-organic form.
‘Is it a self-restoring function?’
The guy who had just received psychic power from No. 26 must have used the energy to restore his body.
“Detection of threats posed by hostile organisms. “We are launching a counterattack.”
“friend! The big one is my kin! “Don’t do that!” When
the guy, who had taken on an even more grotesque form, resisted by poking my fingers with his metal leg, No. 26 stopped him.
“The command from the main controller has been confirmed. “Stop counterattacking.”
A screamer who immediately stops resisting No. 26’s words. Perhaps because they contained the same genes, they seemed to recognize No. 26 as a superior.
“friend. You have to listen carefully to what your eldest son says. “Understand?”
“We are reclassifying hostile creatures. Completed classification into sub-controller level. Verify access to built-in database.”
After completing the adjustment, Screamer folded his metal legs and looked up at me calmly.
“Nice to meet you. Sub controller. How can I help you?”
Originally, I was planning on scolding No. 26 and then eating Screamer.
However, after seeing him being obedient to No. 26, my thoughts changed slightly.
‘I could get the information out.’
I activated the voice imitation function, which is one of the mimicry organ trait effects.
“Who are you?”
“My code name is PS-111. “It is a PS-class intermediate terminal model that commands low-level screamers on behalf of the main controller.”
Screamer PS-111, with only the head remaining, was an entity that served as a kind of field commander.
“Surprisingly. Screamer doesn’t have a commander entity, right?”
“That’s true for older models. “Former main controller ‘Pira Eleven’ pointed out the limitations of the model and began development of a new model ‘Mutant Screamer’ with permission from Supreme Controller.”
“What if it’s a breaking point?”
“The weak durability of the organism to be synchronized with the Screamer Machine, low psychic power resistance, and poor tactical thinking.”
The three things he mentioned are the chronic weaknesses of screamers.
‘It was a limited problem in the system, but it is reality here.’
If the Hulk Mutant is used as a material, the performance of non-mechanical parts can be dramatically improved. Giving it psychic power ability is a bonus.
The problem is about tactical thinking, but this is not something I don’t understand.
Screamers, who are closer to the punishment unit, are not allowed to think and act freely. That’s why they chose to provide assistance by mixing high-level entities in a limited way.
“indeed. “You can be considered a commander-level mutant screamer.”
“you’re right.”
“Did you say Pyrrha Eleven? Why was the main controller changed?”
“The system has been reset due to internal data damage caused by an attack by the level 7 dangerous creature ‘Ice Horror’. At that time, the newly registered main controller was the 8th grade ‘Sea Demon’.”
When I heard that, I had an idea.
‘The superpower drill fired by No. 26.’
It was probably the aftermath of the Ice Horror’s internal organs being torn to shreds when it was made up of tremendous psychic power.
I asked again.
“Let’s move on to the next question. Genes in your body. “Explain what kind of organism’s genes it is and who manipulated it.”
“The genes applied to my body…”
PS-111 listed the biological information that entered its body one by one. As expected, it contained a small amount of the Sea Demon’s genes.
‘The cold blood gene is surprising.’
It was the same with the screamer I met last time, and this one also had a high proportion of cold blood genes.
It is true that good characteristics can be obtained from Cold Blood, but it is not strong enough to shake the balance. There is no need to add it to the Hulk Mutant for screamer material.
‘Is there something I don’t know?’
Even while I was thinking to myself, Screamer continued speaking.
“There are five types of genes injected into my body. “The genetic manipulation was carried out by senior researcher Li Zhao, head of research at Chloe Garmelda.”
“for a moment. Carmelda and Zao? “Could it be the families of Megacorp?”
“That’s right. “The two researchers are each affiliated with Megacorp, Noble Capital, and Prime Capital.”
Only after hearing what he said did I realize that my guess was true.
Star Union’s Grand Leader Megacorp’s Noble Capital Carmelda Prime Capital Zhao.
All three are the leaders of Megacorp and Star Union. It’s a situation where the leaders of groups that are at war with each other are communicating with each other.
‘It’s probably a player out of ten.’
I looked down at the PS-111 resting in my palm.
I’ve gotten most of the information I could from him, and only the most important question remains. I plan to decide his fate based on the answer.
“What is the possibility that former main controller Pyrrha Eleven will usurp command?”
“This is not possible until you reset the system and disable the firewall.”
“Can other intermediate terminals change the main controller like you?”
If this is possible, I will be able to reverse use the screamer created by the enemy. Not only will it be helpful in hunting Gallagon, but it will also be a great help when fighting players in the future.
But PS-111’s answer defied my expectations.
“Change of control due to damage is no longer possible.”
“Why?”
“Before I escaped Pyrrha Eleven’s control, I left a report regarding the possibility of this error occurring. “By now, any weak areas of control should have been improved.”
This means that it is no longer possible for No. 26 to take out other Commander Screamers like PS-111.
‘Then is it beneficial to catch and eat him?’
The guy on my palm must have sensed my feelings and added something more.
“However, it is possible to access the lines used by low-level entity S models.”
“Does that mean you can get a glimpse into other Screamers’ operations?”
“It allows limited control over the S model, not just peeking.”
“Limited control?”
“You can take control of a screamer machine by physically touching it.”
A screamer machine is a mechanical device in the shape of a scorpion or spider that surrounds a creature that is used as a screamer material.
As befits the nickname Star Union’s punishment unit, all of the Screamers’ physical activities are controlled by the Screamer Machine.
So what he says means that the screamer’s behavior itself can be manipulated.
‘The expression ‘physical contact’ is annoying, though.’
Screamers cannot be controlled by my parasites or my number of people. Enemy players will also know this.
‘If you use that part in reverse….’
they can stab you in unexpected places.
“This is the last question. “Is there any chance that Star Union is tracking you?”
“It is impossible for them to find me.”
“Impossible?”
“The signal chip in my body was destroyed by the Ice Horror attack. “I have been officially disposed of.”
I placed the auxiliary organ on his cheek. Four long auxiliary organs caressed Screamer’s smooth face.
‘I don’t feel any special signals.’
I checked to see if there were any electromagnetic waves leaking out, but I couldn’t feel anything.
‘There is no need to be chased.’
I mentally reviewed the conversations we had had so far.
The benefit of keeping it alive and the benefit of eating it. It was clear which was better.
“It seems useful.”
“I’m glad it helped.”
With that, PS-111’s fate was decided.