075

Ep. 75

–

"How did this happen? Please explain."

The crisis management team leader asked Vickers.

The words themselves were nothing special, just a question about the situation, but the tone was not.

Obvious interrogation.

The atmosphere of Team 1's mixed search party suddenly became cold.

"Well, what do you mean?"

Vickers avoided answering with a calm face.

Contrary to his expression, his mind was complicated.

'How is this going? Could it be that Yanek hit it?'

The knights here, especially the 4th group led by Yanek, received a secret order from His Highness Denver.

Capture the monster.

If you encounter any National Guard troops along the way, eliminate them.

'Damn, I can't contact you directly, so it's extremely inconvenient.'

Currently, Yanek is reported as a reserve unit under Jacob of Team 2. If he wants to give orders to Yanek, he must go through Yanek's immediate superior, Jacob.

It's not because the Knights were stupid to set up such a complicated command system.

In the unlikely event of an accident, the middle person in charge is cut off to prevent harm to their owner.

For example, if the situation he is experiencing now occurs.

'no. 'I don't know exactly what the situation is yet.'

Even though it is not confirmed whether Yanek attacked, there is no need to bow down already.

Vickers continued speaking in a nonchalant manner.

"What does that mean now?"

"my?"

"Isn't it strange? "Couldn't they have run away because they were afraid of the monster and then reported it falsely?"

At those words, the assistant team leader's face suddenly distorted.

That's because Vickers' words were blatantly dismissive of the soldiers of the Defense Fleet.

"I can't ignore those words. "Our National Guard is not so low-level that it should be disparaged in that way."

"As I said, the same goes for our knights. You are trained to value your comrades more than your own life. "Do you think we will attack the National Guard?"

The assistant team leader fell silent at Vickers' words.

He tried to use his momentum to put pressure on the vice team leader.

His intention would have been successful if the runaway soldier had not intervened in their conversation.

"Oh no! Deputy team leader! "The knights attacked us with plasma launchers!"

As he said so, the soldier showed the neatly cut shoulder pads of his armored suit and the cross section of a Gauss rifle.

There are not many means that can destroy a service rifle made of alloy with such precision. This is especially true in the sewage system here.

The assistant team leader snorted and glared at Vickers.

"Ha, I guess that monster is also carrying a launcher?"

"…."

"In the first place, the launcher receives shooting assistance from the built-in AI. The soldiers' information is also registered, so when friendly forces are present, they are allowed to fire with as little damage as possible."

What he said is true.

The Plasma Launcher ranks high among Megacorp's standard weapons in terms of destructive power.

Therefore, if a mistake occurs or is captured by the enemy, the damage is considerable, so various restrictions are placed to prevent this.

One of them is a shooting assistance system coordinated by AI.

Soldiers' personal information can be registered in the launcher's AI.

Registered data is stored in an encrypted state, preventing the launcher from shooting allies.

To cancel this, you must execute a forced fire command by entering a specific code known only to the commander. Otherwise, you can use a launcher that doesn't have friendly information registered.

If the launcher stores the personal information of defense fleet soldiers, it would be nearly impossible to attack friendly forces.

In other words, the launcher that attacked the soldiers was not a weapon owned by the defense fleet, but was brought by others.

The only other people in this underground area are the Egerton Knights.

"Of course, the vice-captain of the Edgerton family knows this as well."

"…Keuhum."

Vickers, struggling for an answer, cleared his throat.

The original plasma launcher was an improved version of a naval gun mounted on a warship.

There is no way that Vickers of the Edgerton family, famous for ship development, would not know that fact.

'Yanek! 'What on earth have you done!'

The reason the launcher was provided to Team 4 was to break the monster's strong shell, not to shoot it at the National Guard.

In the first place, the difference in armament between the two is so stark that it is possible to kill with just a plasma bolter. He couldn't understand why Yanek did this.

'…Should I sort it out here?'

I want to call Jacob and check, but communication is currently not working properly in the sewer.

Even if communication can be sent from this location, it is a problem.

Because it is obvious that the assistant team leader will be watching them talking on the phone.

'What should I do?'

This is an issue that requires careful understanding, but there is neither the time nor the situation to do so.

Vickers is worried.

His troubles were ended by a green beam that flew out of the darkness.

"Enemy raid…!"

The soldier who tried to report the fact was unable to finish what he was saying and turned into dust. Not only that, but his colleagues next to him also burned with a bundle of high-temperature energy.

Those who had just died were all soldiers belonging to the Defense Fleet.

When it became clear that the enemy was only targeting soldiers, a fire lit up in the eyes of the deputy team leader.

"Vice-Captain Vickers!"

"Tsk, everyone ready for battle."

When Vickers clicked his tongue and ordered, the knights simultaneously drew their bolters.

There is no turning back now.

We have no choice but to kill all of the National Guard troops here before the communication network is restored.

–

'Okay. You fight fiercely and well.'

The atmosphere seemed ambiguous, so I used the launcher once more and the enemies started fighting like crazy.

It was as if he was waiting for me to fire the beam.

Although the knights were overwhelmingly armed, the soldiers were far more numerous.

The knights slaughtered the soldiers with bolters, and the soldiers took cover and fired tungsten bullets.

'It's difficult with regular bullets.'

The advanced reinforced clothing worn by Edgerton knights is a type that sacrifices weight but enhances defense.

If you replace it with a penetrating bullet, you will be at least an opponent.

'The problem is that the Knights also have the means to prepare.'

"All even-numbered squads are replaced with penetrating bullets! "Odd-numbered squads take cover!"

"No problem. "All members deploy shields."

As soon as the commander of the National Guard shouted, the Knights responded immediately.

A light purple wave emitted from the knights' right wrist and materialized into a rectangular shape.

That shield that looks like a purple riot shield is a real psychic shield that comes as a standard option in the advanced enhanced suit.

'The psychic shield attached to the advanced reinforced suit is not bad.'

The nickname given by Megacorp users is Barikang.

Contrary to its funny nickname, the Psychic Shield is a powerful protective equipment that provides high defense against physical and psychic attacks.

It would be safe to say that it is on a different level from the fake that the armed police brought in during the previous fight in the apartment.

Unless soldiers bring AP bullets, penetrating bullets cannot pierce the psychic shield.

"Ahh!"

"medic!"

As I expected, there was no significant change in the appearance of a small number of knights slaughtering a large number of defense forces.

Other than the knights slightly faltering as they tried to block the penetrating bullets, the soldiers seemed to have no hope of winning.

As the unfavorable situation continued for the soldiers, the National Guard commander shouted.

"Fire ready launchers!"

"this! Everyone spread out!"

With the firepower of the launcher, even shields can be torn apart like sheets of paper.

The defense power of advanced reinforced clothing? In front of the launcher's beam that pulverizes the outer walls of a warship, it's as if you're not wearing anything.

Before the knights dispersed, multiple launchers fired beams.

Most were avoided, but some were not. Some knights had half their bodies blown off by the beam, while others lost arms or legs.

"Ahh!"

"Pull the wounded back!"

Some knights are coming this way, bringing with them a wounded comrade.

'Should I step forward soon?'

My goals are twofold.

To alienate my enemies and to pretend that I am dead.

'For that to happen, you have to invade when the time is right.'

The enemy is not a fool.

I have to show that I die after being hit by an enemy attack in order to deceive not only those present but also those above me.

In order to do that, it would be good for as many people as possible to see my death.

While I was waiting for the right moment, a beam aimed at the knights flew this way.

'I guess this is enough.'

I leapt out of the darkness and threw the corpse of the already dead knight in front of the beam.

The body was hit by the beam and oxidized.

The fact that he was already dead because his neck had been broken by my tentacles was now a fact known only to me.

The knight who was falling back carrying his wounded comrade shouted.

"Our team has been defeated!"

I think he only saw the image of his colleague being oxidized by the beam and did not see me.

'If you think you didn't see it, you should let me know.'

I lunged and hit him with my head.

Even with strong armor, it wouldn't be able to withstand the rush of my full power and the sharp horns rising from my head.

Two horns pierced his sides.

"Keuuk?!"

A knight lets out a short, blood-filled scream. I lifted my head up and shook it, with the article still in place.

The wound on the pierced abdomen opened and the horn was soaked with bright red blood.

Another knight sees me and shouts.

"He appeared!"

I threw the skewered knight away and gave the shouting knight a loud shake of his tail.

Thorn hairs rained down randomly and got stuck on the knights' reinforced clothing. Some even flew towards the soldiers and stuck in the cover where they were hiding.

"It's a monster?!"

"Don't panic! This is the target he was searching for! "Concentrate your firepower on him!"

The soldiers, who were confused at first, quickly regained their peace under the commander's skillful guidance.

The penetrating bullets they fired rained down on my body, but my body is currently doubly strengthened into a physical reinforcement type and a complete organic body.

Although the outer shell was slightly punctured, there were no fatal injuries.

The soldiers' target was changed to me, but not the knights.

A knight who appeared to be a commander shouted.

"Those in the rear should keep him in check, and the rest should organize the National Guard."

"Vice-Captain Vickers! "Are you crazy?"

"You must not hand him over to them. "We have to capture him alive somehow."

The commander of the National Guard shouted incredulously at the knight commander, a man called Vice-Commander Vickers.

'huh?'

When I heard that, I stopped for a moment.

You can't hand me over.

Of course, it doesn't mean you're going to help me.

The sight of the knights sharpening their bolters at me was not friendly at all.

'Let me think about it.'

Playing dead is a holdover.

I thought as I dodged the pouring fire.

'They probably know that I am not an easy enemy. 'Why do you want to capture me alive?'

"Die… 100 million?!"

I dodged the knight's blade claw by turning to the side and grabbed him with my fighting arms.

He then threw him in front of the flying green beam.

The driver made a noise and was hit by the beam, losing his right upper body.

'What I can achieve with my body.'

After dealing with one knight, I dived into the water and crawled on the bottom.

I could faintly hear the National Guard soldiers shouting, "Where has he gone?"

At that time, I saw a body submerged in water.

The face of a man who lost half of his upper body. It was an article I threw in front of the plasma beam a while ago.

Even though his helmet was broken and only half of his face remained, he looked ridiculously handsome.

Since they are genetically modified humans created by mixing only superior genes, it is natural that this will be the case.

'The article that improved genes… genes. uh?'

"He's here!"

The knights found me and fired bolters into the water. I quickly left the place.

'Could it be that they are targeting my genes?'

Why did I only think of that possibility now?

Until now, I had only thought about the setting of Megacorp in the game and assumed that the Edgerton family would not be interested in genetic modification.

Genetic modification and Hulk mutants are solely the domain of the Eugene family.

'But this is reality.'

There is no system here to enforce this, such as genes being in charge of only the Eugene family and ships in charge of only Edgerton.

Just as I evolve away from the game's standards.

Enemies also adapt to reality and evolve.

The foreshadowing was already there.

The Edgerton Knights I captured were all genetically modified humans.

In the game, they were just randomly selected NPC mercenaries.

In some cases, the races included non-human bolters or cults, but the basic base is human.

'In the game, they say you have to pick again until a beautiful NPC appears, but this is reality.'

The Knights are humans who have been properly processed by the orders of the Edgerton family head.

A so-called Hulk-mutated human who is made into a being suitable for battle by inserting genes from various creatures.

'The head of the Egerton family is looking into the territory of the Eugene family.'

In the eyes of the Edgerton family, I must be a bunch of delicious genes that use a wide variety of abilities.

"Kaaak!"

I came to a conclusion after running over another knight and breaking his neck.

Knights and National Guards descended into the sewers.

Their goals are subtly different.

The goal of eliminating me as a threat to the city's security is the same, but there is a difference in the specific methods to reach the goal.

The knights' goal is to capture me alive. Or at least leave the body intact.

Only then will I be able to conduct research with my own body.

'The reason they attack the National Guard is probably because they don't want to hand over the bodies.'

If TNC knows that Edgerton wants me as a good research material, he will definitely try to negotiate.

It is true that the two families are currently cooperating, but someday they will have to compete again. If necessary, they will try to omit any parts that can be omitted.

'I thought the fight was so fierce from the first fight…'

I never thought there would be an inside story like this.

'It actually worked out well.'

Originally, he planned to sneak out of here by pretending to be dead in front of the enemies.

But this gives me a choice.

'Will it escape into the hands of the Edgerton family or will it go to the T&C family?'

If I annihilate either of the two forces present, the other side will naturally have the opportunity to take my 'corpse'.

'If you go to the Edgerton family, there is a high possibility that you will go to the laboratory on their ship.'

If you do that, you can capture the ship and escape this city.

'The only problem is that we don't know the extent of the security facilities on the ship.'

Security on warships is much tighter than on research ships.

Moreover, they have even planned to secretly capture me alive, so there is a high possibility that they will take my body to the laboratory on the head of the family.

'If it's a flagship, security will be more thorough.'

It hasn't been an easy fight so far, but warships will be much more difficult.

'Then what about T&C?'

Looking at the situation, it seems like the National Guard here don't know much about me.

'But when the battle is over and you cool down, you'll understand in a way.'

There's something important about me that Edgerton is after.

It is so important that they even go as far as to murder their own allies.

Since they are soldiers, they will report it to the higher-ups once the communication status is normalized. From then on, the higher-ups will take care of it.

'In that case, there is a high possibility that the place I go to will be an administrative district.'

In the game, the administrative district has a skyscraper called the Monument.

There is a special trade hub science research center in the building, so there is no doubt that they will be researching me there.

'There are a lot of cults in the administrative district.'

That's why I came to T&C Special Trade Center in the first place.

Because there are races that meet the conditions for evolution.

'Instead, since it is a board meeting, elite troops from all kinds of families will be in the administrative district.'

Each has advantages and disadvantages.

'how will we do it.'

There is not much time left.

If I delayed any longer, the National Guard would be wiped out before I could make a decision.

Under a barrage of bullets and plasma beams, I finally made a decision.

.

.

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