I Became an Evolving Space Monster - Chapter 410

“great job.”
 
A tiny screamer, MPS-03, has arrived. The guy who crawled up to the head spit out the terminal he was holding in his mouth.
 
“Mission complete! complete!”
“Are your legs okay?”
 
In response to my question, the guy moved his soldered leg and took a saluting stance. At first glance, it didn’t seem like there was any particular problem with movement.
 
‘PS-111 will be able to fix it later.’
 
I lightly stroked him with the back of my finger. It was jumping around on the nest as if No. 26 and Aadhai were happy.
 
Every time it ran, the black cysts on the floor burst and released cloudy gas. At first glance, it looks similar to the toxic vapor that automatically spreads over the nest, but its ingredients and effects are completely different.
 
That’s because those black cysts and gas are a phenomenon caused by characteristics.
 
‘It’s been a while since I acquired the ghost nest, but now I’m finally using it properly.’
 
The nest-related fusion trait ‘Ghost Nest’ was previously obtained from Cult Star, Berzan 02. I haven’t had a chance to use it so far, so I just kept it.
 
‘Well, it’s not a good characteristic to use alone.’
 
The reason is because of the working mechanism of the ghost nest.
 
When this trait is applied, black cysts are created in the nest like now. The white gas emitted by the cysts contains psychic power that promotes various abnormal phenomena.
 
Once you inhale this, you experience all kinds of bizarre things. Hallucinations, auditory hallucinations, cognitive decline, sensory distortion, etc. come as a comprehensive gift. As time passes, it becomes difficult to distinguish what is reality and what is not.
 
As the name suggests, it means being possessed by a ghost.
 
That is why the soldier who attacked MPS-03 suddenly began acting strangely.
 
The one that lost its helmet due to the ‘destructive sound wave’ inhaled the gas flowing out of the nest. So even after seeing the hiveformer, it did not attack. He probably thought it was his colleague.
 
The one poisoned by the gas followed him to the underground nest without knowing anything, and became the hiveformer’s new hideout.
 
‘There is good compatibility between the two characteristics.’
 
The Hiveformer alone is not easy to deceive the enemy due to its unique appearance and movement. However, if there is a ghost nest, that weakness is offset. The characteristic of Ghost Nest is that it shows its true value when combined with other characteristics.
 
‘The problem is that it has many shortcomings when used alone.’
 
For example, if the target entering the nest has resistance to psychic power or does not inhale the gas properly, the effect is very low. And psychic gas only has the effect of distorting the opponent’s senses, but cannot cause physical damage.
 
You can tell just by looking at the dead soldiers. It wandered around the nest like nothing happened before taking off its helmet. It was only after his helmet was damaged that he began to be affected. The man possessed by the ghost was eliminated not by gas but by the hiveformer’s attack.

In this way, a ghost nest can only function if there is a means to physically destroy the enemy.
 
‘Now that I’ve obtained the Hiveformer, I need to gather more nest-related characteristics.’
 
After becoming an adult, the nest was rarely used in battle. This is because in most cases, rather than attracting the enemy, they infiltrated the enemy camp and fought, or conversely, fought after being ambushed. There was no condition to utilize the nest.
 
‘I used a lot of nests in the game.’
 
There was also a notoriety attached to it. Although it is not as famous as Moffak, it is a nickname that is occasionally thrown around by those who enter the nest.
 
‘Well, that’s enough.’
 
I finally had the opportunity to get a sample. I picked up the terminal brought by MPS-03.
 
The list of samples stored in the complex and various other information about what is happening on this planet are contained in this terminal.
 
‘Let me check.’
 
I lay down and connected the auxiliary organ to the nest. A hiveformer that had received my will slowly crawled over. He took the terminal and connected it to the hologram playback device in the nest.
 
‘Being big is also a problem.’
 
It was difficult to operate a small computer or terminal with this body, so a hiveformer wearing a human shell was used.
 
After a while, numerous letters appeared on the hologram device. It was a list of genetic samples and Hulk mutant specimens.
 
Not only the names of the creatures, but also the planets where they were captured, the names of the people who captured them, and their storage conditions were all organized in detail.
 
However, many of the samples and test subjects listed were checked in red. These were secretly stolen by the managers protecting AG-01.
 
Of course, the number of samples remaining was not small. There was so much left that it was similar to the space fortress that had been robbed before.
 
‘If you do this well, you will get a new unique characteristic.’
 
Currently, there are a total of 3 unique attribute synthesis formulas that I have unlocked. Among them, there are synthetic formulas that require garbage traits such as ‘hunger’ or ‘dwarfism’.
 
｢’Transcendence’ ingredient list: Dwarfism (not acquired), Hunger, Sensory Degeneration (not acquired), Slow Life (not acquired), Hermit Orientation (not acquired)｣
 
‘Dwarfism, slow life, and sensory deterioration won’t be difficult to obtain. ‘The reclusive orientation is difficult.’

Among the four characteristics, ‘Seclusion Orientation’, like hunger, can only be acquired from certain creatures. You need some luck to get it.

‘Still, if there are this many samples, it’s worth a try.’
 
I briefly skimmed through the long list and moved on. This was followed by records of stellar activity observed in AG-01.

The majority were regular reports sent by terraforming machines that react sensitively to changes in the planet’s environment, and observation records sent by ships traveling in and out of the star system were mixed in a bit.
 
‘I’ll have to leave this to PS-111.’
“report. report.”
 
While I was looking at the hologram, MPS-03 came running towards me.
 
“Variables occurred during mission performance.”
‘variable?’
“Need to be confirmed. necessary!”
 
It manipulated terminals and holographic devices with its pointed metal legs. The stellar records were passed over and new data was displayed on the hologram.
 
What was new was a large map. Looking at the structure, it was clear that it was a map of the research complex where MPS-03 had entered. Above each building on the map were codes that were a complex mixture of numbers and letters.
 
“intruder. “Computers, Communications, and Use.”
 
Listening to what he said, it seemed like communication data sent by the soldier who attacked MPS-03.
 
‘The internal map is quite important information.’
 
Megacorp’s research facilities usually have tight security. This place, where battles occur frequently, is filled with land mines and drones everywhere.
 
In such a situation, would you send a map with such detailed information to the outside world? And that in a situation where communication and electricity were cut off? It must have been a corrupt soldier trying to sell off important information.
 
‘The important thing here is the buyer of the map.’
 
The reason why you want a map containing all the information about the research complex is simple. He’s probably trying to attack this complex.
 
Of course, the value of a map cannot be compared to an ordinary genetic sample or test subject. And to steal it, you will have to take a considerable risk.
 
‘It would be difficult to bribe a soldier with a decent amount of compensation.’
 
The opponent was strong enough to physically attack the complex and had enough wealth to bribe soldiers who knew confidential information.
 
As far as I know, there is only one being with that level of power here.
 
‘Separatist forces.’
 
I heard this from Jeff, who caught me in the commercial city.
 
In AG-01, a terrorist separatist organization is colluding with pirates and is targeting genetic samples.
 
‘You said the pirate cartel supporting them belongs to the Shino Group, right?’
 
The Shino Group, created by a union of several cartels, is a group of pirates believed to be led by Space Dog Ranker. I have also met cartels belonging to the Sino Group.
 
Jeff said the name of the cartel that contacted the separatists was Sinoni. They are pirates belonging to the same group as the ones I encountered, only with different names.
 
If the pirates were managed by a ranker, they would be able to take down the research center without difficulty.
 
‘But it’s strange. Is there any reason for the player to target here?’
 
AG-01 is not an attractive location for Space Dog players to aim for. If you’re looking for genetic samples, there are many good places besides here. In my case, I came to AG-01 in search of traces of the Arcane Orca, not with the thought of genetic samples.
 
‘Or maybe it was the arbitrary action of his subordinates.’
 
Jeff said the Sinoni Cartel’s main source of income is hunting dangerous creatures and smuggling rare creatures.
 
In games, pirates hunting dangerous creatures often used Hulk mutants as combat assistants. It doesn’t really make sense if the Sinoni Cartel wants to acquire Hulk mutants for the same purpose.
 
‘I guess I’ll have to ask this directly to be sure.’
 
Are you really here to save the Hulk mutant, or is there some other purpose?
 
To confirm this, we need to catch a member of the Shinoni Cartel.
 
‘It’s hard to avoid fighting with them anyway.’
 
They secured a map of the lab. At best, the airstrikes will begin within two or three days.
 
And the owner of the research center they are targeting is me.
 
The humans guarding the complex have all been wiped out by hiveformers, and the nest is devouring the tall buildings from the inside. Is that not all? PS-111, who is not here, is also working hard to conceal my presence.
 
‘Do you think we’ll let pirates take it?’
 
I issued an order to all hiveformers in the research complex.
 
Bring me genetic samples of the creatures I mentioned.
 
‘I thought I should try using the nest, and it worked out well.’
 
In the game, many people visited my nest and praised it.
 
The Sinoni Cartel will feel the same way.

“Watch next episode”