My Children Swarm the Cosmos – Chapter 21

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟏: 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 (1)

Kreion declared.

“. . .From today, we are hostile to humans.” 

“Alright. . . Should we gather the brain counts of the humans in this facility now. . .?”

━𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐭.  

━𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝟏𝟕𝐂 𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐧.

“They are treating master as a rampaging test subject. . .”

Kreion’s gaze was fixed on the piled corpses in the isolation room.  

“They must pay the price in blood for their atrocities and words. . .”

Like the calm that comes after a storm has swept past, Kreion deliberately secreted neurotransmitters to regain his composure.

In case the humans might hear the words he was about to utter, he conveyed them in waves.

‘𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘸𝘪𝘯 𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺. 𝘞𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘺 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘵’𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸.’

Then Ludwig also cautiously inquired in waves.

━𝐈𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐲’𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠. . .?

Kreion approached the dead mother. He placed his palm on the huge chilled body and sought possibilities.

‘. . .𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘺. 𝘍𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦. . .’

━𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫’𝐬 𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲. . .?

‘𝘔𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘐 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥. 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦 𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘭. . .𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦.’

━𝐈 𝐬𝐞𝐞. . .

‘𝘐𝘧 𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘴, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴.’

━𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐨 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐰. . .?

‘𝘒𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘹𝘪𝘮𝘶𝘮 𝘯𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘮𝘶𝘮 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳.’

━𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬. . .? 𝐈𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐬-𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬. . .

‘𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴.’

𝘍𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘩. . .!  

Kreion’s hand pierced into the skin of the mother test subject.

𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬. . .

Through that series of actions, Ludwig tasted the awful heart-rending sadness.

━𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫. . . 𝐈 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. . .

‘𝘞𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦.’

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

The red warning light came on in the lab adjacent to the lab where Kreion was located. 

“What’s going on?!”

“There’s a problem with the project that was said to have succeeded this time!”

“Wasn’t the verification of human thought all done?! Why is it rampaging?!”

“Hurry up! There’s a shelter at A14D!”

Researchers in white robes are running.

𝘒𝘢𝘢𝘢𝘢𝘩𝘩𝘩!!!   

𝘎𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘦𝘢𝘢𝘢𝘢𝘩𝘩𝘩𝘩. . .!

𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘦𝘢𝘢𝘢𝘬!

The bioweapons locked up in isolation cells let out screams that they themselves cannot identify the cause of. On top of that, people’s fearful cries are mixed together, making the lab a mess.

In the opposite direction of the researchers running to a safe lab, soldiers armed with full body combat suits and energy rifles come running.   

As the researchers and soldiers pass each other, a researcher asks a small war machine.

“Are you a worker?!”

The 4 meter tall bipedal war machine temporarily stops staggering. Inside was a worker who was boarding as a pilot, a mercenary.  

“Please hurry and evacuate. We will dispose of the rampaging specimens.”

“A-Are you sure you can really dispose of them. . .? I heard it was Medusa class. . .?”

Medusa class refers to a terrifying creature that can threaten stellar nations, multiple star systems, and national alliances.

“It means that the specimen could be that class, but that thing alone without even a colony now can’t actually be Medusa class.”

It was the worker’s confident reply.  The researchers who were running away heaved a sigh of relief.  

At that moment.

“Kuuaaaahhh. . .!”

Someone screams in pain.  

“Aaarggghh. . .!”

“Uwaaah!!! Aaaaahhhhh!!!”

“My body feels strange. . .! Sa-Save me. . .!”

Researchers who were perfectly fine just a moment ago collapsed and writhed with their whole bodies twisting.  

Their eyes become bloodshot, their noses bleed, and foam mixed with blood spurts from their mouths. It was as if thousands of worms had entered their bodies as they scratched their own skin as if to peel it off.

𝘗𝘶𝘤𝘬! 𝘗𝘶𝘤𝘬! 𝘗𝘶𝘤𝘬!

Then those who could not overcome the pain bang their heads on the walls or floor.

𝘊𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘩!  

And someone else grabs a soldier’s gun and shoots themselves in the head with it.

The lab where the red warning light turned on was drenched in blood in an instant. Meanwhile, the soldiers and workers boarding the war machines remain unharmed.

“What is all this?!”

“It looks like a pandemic!”

Something transmitted through the air is killing all those exposed to the air without a single one escaping.  

Kaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!

Gueeeeeoooohhh. . .!

Meanwhile, the specimens locked up in the isolation cells scream even more fiercely.

“There’s no way these monsters know the situation outside. . .”

𝘙𝘰𝘢𝘢𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘳!!!

A bioweapon resembling an elephant with six legs smashed through the door of the isolation cell and charged out.

“Shoot! Shoot! Shoot and kill it now!”

Papa papapang!!

The plasma streams fired from the soldiers’ energy rifles explode the rampaging bioweapon.

𝘙𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘵. . .  

Blood and flesh splatter and flow down the passageway.

The worker boarding the war machine moves ahead.  

“It was called isolation cell A16C right?  The last place it was spotted.”

“They said the cameras were smashed so there’s no guarantee it’s still there now.  And together with the rampaging specimen is a bioweapon. . . Ludwig is also there, so if they’re not moving together, it’ll be hard to pinpoint their location.”

“Wherever it may be, it’s somewhere isolated inside section A16 with barrier doors.  If it tries to break out of section A16 through the barrier doors, we’ll soon know its location.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Report that an unidentified biological weapon with high infectivity and mortality has spread here. We keep moving. Everyone stay focused.”  

“What about the researchers’ corpses?”

“Burn them all. Biological weapons proliferate in hosts and corpses.”

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

Something unusual is happening simultaneously. Francis Darwin, the head of the Darwin Foundation, can be considered to be in a relatively safe position at the heart of the facility.  

But even he is fearful of the unprecedented capabilities of the rampaging bioweapon.  

Many skilled workers, soldiers, and those in high positions in the foundation surround him to protect him.

In the meantime, a small humanoid synthesizes real-time reports with hologram images.  

“Epidemiological analysis indicates that the origin of the unidentified biological weapon is the A17C mother specimen isolation room. A16, A17, A18 extermination squads and non-combat personnel located in the experimental building have died.”

“How many have died so far?”

“94 people.”  

“Kreion went berserk and 94 people died in 12 minutes?”

“Non-combat personnel located in the isolated experimental building will soon die from the biological weapon as well. In total, at least 251 people.”  

The report from the humanoid was shocking. Darwin shakes his fists placed on both armrests and bows his head.  

“. . .Where did it go wrong?”

“What do you mean. . .”  

“I’m asking how Kreion ended up like that!!!”  

His shout makes those around him swallow their spit.  

“The mother specimen. . . I told you to cut off the tube and put that dead thing in hibernation. Instead of incinerating that already dead thing, you froze it first and were going to dispose of it later. . . What did you think the reason for that was?”

No one dares to answer.  

“Isn’t it the research team’s job to check if the mother specimen is being properly nourished?”

“Sir, as I reported before, since the mother specimen developed anorexia from the preliminary selection stage. . . We were still force feeding through the tube, but there was an unexplained malfunction in the related device. The display on the terminal was different from the actual. . .”

“So why. . .”  

“. . .What?”

“So why did the situation end up like this? Not just the research team, but everyone. Can anyone answer?”

Only the humanoid could answer in the face of his oppressive anger.  

“The mother specimen of the chimeraz project was supposed to be used as a control factor for Kreion after giving birth to 500 offspring, but the chimeraz project research team in charge of A16 confirmed the mother specimen’s anorexia.”

“Despite enforcing supplementary nutrition because of nutritional deficiencies, supplementary nutrition was not actually being provided. In order to conceal the death of the mother experimental subject and revive her, we halted the supply and disposed of her via hibernation.”

“. . . And then, as luck would have it, the equipment malfunctioned when Kreion arrived at Apoptology and the hibernation was undone. Is that even conceivable?”

“That is the fault of the research team for failing to detect the malfunction of the equipment assigned to that particular experimental room.”

At the words of the humanoid, one of the researchers becomes agitated.

“What are you saying . . . ! Chief! We were successfully hibernating the deceased mother experimental subject and looking for a way to revive her! But how could we have known that Kreion would arrive in just a few days once the coming-of-age ceremony was over? We can’t help but hold the faculty members in charge of the coming-of-age ceremony schedule accountable!”

The mother experimental subject, who refused to consume nutrients, was forcibly provided with nutrition. However, in reality, forced nutrition was not provided, and the mother experimental subject eventually died.

So, it’s true that the research team is at fault for the death, but they say that Kreion discovering it is the faculty members’ responsibility.

One of the faculty members in charge of the experimental subjects’ learning also becomes heated and raises his voice.

“We allowed Kreion to come here because we successfully hibernated her! But then, wasn’t the hibernation undone because of the malfunction of the research team’s equipment! You’ve already made two mistakes, so who are you going to blame? If forced nutrition had gone smoothly in the first place, or if the hibernation hadn’t been undone due to the malfunction today, Kreion wouldn’t have known that the mother experimental subject had committed suicide!”

“Suicide . . . ?”

“Why do you think the research team treated the mother experimental subject the way they did so that she refused to consume nutrients? Just looking at her, it’s obvious that anorexia is an excuse. And the fact that the equipment malfunctioned twice is also your responsibility.”

“That’s right. And our faculty members manage experimental subjects who have passed the preliminary selection, not that strange lifeform-like creature.”

“No, how can people who know how much Kreion relies on the mother experimental subject be so indifferent? You must have known full well that you were hiding the starved mother experimental subject in hibernation, so isn’t it reckless to let Kreion into the facility as soon as the coming-of-age ceremony was over?”

“You’re trying so hard to shift the blame. Whose fault is it that the mother experimental subject died in the first place? Who failed to save her? Whose fault is it that the mother experimental subject’s hibernation was suddenly undone today? What kind of timing is it that the hibernation was undone just when Kreion arrived? Was it intentional?”

The researchers remain tight-lipped, their eyes filled with a sense of injustice.

Misfortunes have come in droves.

“. . . Wait a minute. Wasn’t it the private soldiers and mercenaries who drove Kreion to go berserk?”

“Why are you suddenly dragging us into this?”

“Kreion must have been shocked to see the mother experimental subject dead, but you were too forceful. You even tried to kill Ludwig, who was right next to him.”

“Who’s Ludwig?”

“He’s an unidentified bioweapon that Kreion brought from Nemea. A red one-eyed creature that looks like a boa constrictor. . .”

“What, your soldiers didn’t even know what Ludwig was?”

“We don’t know unless we’re told in advance. And up until now, that Medusa-class bioweapon was under control through the mother experimental subject’s existence and the Foundation’s continuous forced learning.”

“That guy ignored the secretary in charge of him from the beginning and ran towards it, and he saw the dead mother experimental subject. . . No, he saw the mother experimental subject that you great researchers killed due to equipment malfunction. At that point, reason had already disappeared from his eyes, so do you think he would listen to reason? This is a situation where a Medusa-class bioweapon is on the verge of going berserk within the facility, so what kind of sophistry is it to say that you shouldn’t use force to control the situation?”

There is a simple reason why these people are desperately raising their voices even though the director is watching.

Someone’s, or some people’s, mistakes have ruined an 18-year project, and people are actually dying.

That’s why the argument continued without any sign of ending.

“Anyway, it is our duty according to the manual to restrain the berserk experimental subject known as Kreion and dispose of the unidentified bioweapon, Ludwig, who was next to him. We are not responsible for any other actions taken, claiming that something else was handled incorrectly.”

“Are you out of your mind? Is that what you call talking?”

“The teachers should have coordinated things by checking here and there and adjusting his schedule. It was too fast from the preliminary selection to the coming-of-age ceremony. I heard the faculty expected it to take longer than this year. Until Kreion became the ruler.”

“In the first place, this whole thing blew up because the research team in charge didn’t manage the mother experimental subject properly and neglected the equipment inspection.”

“Ha. . . You said there was nothing wrong with the equipment just a moment ago. Logically, how could our research team have worked here for years and not managed something so basic? Furthermore, we know the importance of the mother experimental subject better than anyone else, so why would we have neglected such a thing? This is outrageous.”

“Everyone, be quiet.”

At Darwin’s one word, the heated discussion of who was responsible suddenly cools down, and a dangerous silence descends.

It is a total crisis that feels like their heads are going to explode.

“Whew. . .”

Darwin takes out his cell phone and flips through the contacts. He selects a contact and tries to make a call, but he changes his mind and puts the cell phone back in his pocket.

“No. . . This isn’t the time for that. . .”

Everyone focuses on his every word.

“I will make the decision. Kreion is a failed experiment. A very dangerous failed experiment. Instead of arguing about whose fault it is, we need to dispose of him here and now with our own hands. Before things get worse.”

Then the humanoid asks,

“Declaring the chimeraz project a failure and disposing of Kreion will put the Darwin Foundation in a difficult position. This project has received continuous and substantial support. . .”

“Even so, we can’t let Kreion get outside the facility. He committed his first murder and killed dozens of people in just a few minutes. Who knows if it will be hundreds, thousands, or billions next?”

Fear spreads over the unprecedented weapon.

“T-Then we have to dispose of the entire A experimental room!”

“That’s right! . . . In order to minimize further damage, it is certain that the entire A experimental room should be blown up!”

The researchers, faculty members, private soldiers, and mercenaries.

Those who were just fighting over each other’s responsibilities are now arguing in unison. They are all inwardly afraid.

That’s because if things get worse here, they can imagine what will happen in the near future.

However, Darwin’s thoughts were a little different.

“No. Even if we dispose of him, we have to keep Kreion’s body in order to clean up the mess.”

For some reason, Darwin does not give up, almost to the point of obsession, in this extremely dangerous situation.

“Somehow, just retrieve his brain. If we upload the 18 years’ worth of experience and download it into a new experimental subject. . . That will be the new Kreion, so do that. We can’t just blow him up. How much effort has gone into this. . .”

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

Blood is trampled on.

𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳! 𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳! 𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳!

Kreion, clad in black armor, crosses the corridor where the red warning lights have come on. There are many corpses infected with the virus around him as he passes.

And Ludwig is chasing after him.

—𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐮𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝. . . 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐧𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞. . . 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐟 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦. . .

‘𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺’𝘷𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦. 𝘚𝘰, 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦?’

—𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬, 𝟖𝟔 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐚 𝐨𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐮𝐬. . . 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐝𝐨𝐠𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐬𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬, 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐢𝐝𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬. . .

The virus that Kreion created is also a chimeraz. Chimeraz, which has a molecular weight of approximately 950,000, is shaped like a thin plate. It has a flagellum-shaped cilium that is intentionally movable, so it flies by riding the air currents.

Their consciousness is too weak to send waves directly to their master. And unlike multicellular organisms, they have almost no sensory organs, so they cannot communicate any sensations, emotions, or active information to Kreion.

However, conversely, Kreion can detect the number, location, and movement of the viruses by waves. And he can control them effortlessly.

Furthermore, these relatively simple structures can modify their genetic information on the spot, even without contact with Kreion.

In simple terms, it is like causing real-time mutations remotely.

‘𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘧 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘭.’

—𝐀𝐜𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐝. . .

‘𝘓𝘶𝘥𝘸𝘪𝘨. 𝘏𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘪𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳’𝘴 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭.’

—𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐝. . .

Fortunately, the chimeraz was very compatible with the bioweapons. So, the Darwin Foundation, whose main force is bioweapons, will be quite embarrassed.

Ludwig exerts his legion’s dominance to control the chimeraz the size of a virus.

Ludwig ripped open the doors of the isolation rooms that he had seen on his way here.

The smallest chimeraz in the world entered through the torn gap, and the nameless bioweapons, who had been rampaging due to the natural disaster they felt, inhaled the chimeraz through their respiratory systems.

𝘒𝘶𝘨𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘳𝘶𝘨!!!!!!

The bioweapons that had the chimeraz virus enter their bodies are multicellular organisms. However, due to the influence of the virus, they forcibly undergo mutations that are not typical of multicellular organisms.

𝘉𝘢𝘮! 𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘥! 𝘉𝘢𝘮!

Mutations that should have occurred over generations were forcibly expressed. As a side effect, their bones are twisted, their skin is peeled off, and severe bleeding follows.

𝘎𝘳𝘳𝘳𝘳𝘳𝘳𝘳𝘳𝘳𝘳. . .

Bioweapons of various shapes and sizes came out of the isolation room with blood dripping from their bodies and their zombie-like bodies.

Fortunately, there were plenty of corpses in the corridor to help them recover.

The infected bioweapons devoured the bodies of the dead humans and then went on a rampage when they encountered the troops who had come to find Kreion.

Soon, they were disposed of by the overwhelming firepower of the human troops.

‘𝘈𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘐 𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦.’

—𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫. . . 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬. . .

‘𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘩. 𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘰.’

𝘡𝘪𝘪𝘪𝘪𝘪𝘪𝘪𝘯𝘨!

The air in the isolated experimental room is being released into space through a ventilation duct somewhere. The room temperature drops rapidly, causing the blood to freeze and ice to form on Kreion’s and Ludwig’s skin.

Still, the two of them move normally.

—𝐋𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐯𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐮𝐦 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐬. . . 𝐇𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡. . .

‘𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘰𝘬𝘢𝘺.’

—𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠. . .?

‘𝘞𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘰 260 𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯’𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘵𝘺𝘱𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘧𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦.

—𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭. . . 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. . .?

‘𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘱𝘰𝘱𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦.’

It is just 260 meters more to go. The cosmic port used from A16 laboratory is just around the corner. Before one realizes, the widened passageway emphasizes the openness like an airport lobby and the windows that reveal the universe are unfolded from the heightened ceiling and walls.

Kreion and Ludwig arrived here 26 minutes after the warning lights came on.

The two of them stop where they are and look at what is in front of them.

—. . . 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫. . . 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐬. . .

Kreion takes a few steps forward.

For now, there are two war machines armed with various firearms, eight humanoid soldiers with energy rifles, and fourteen private soldiers armed with energy rifles in full combat suits.

They were blocking the wide path to the biomechanical spacecraft and aiming their firearms at this side.

And among them, a man in a full-body experimental suit walked forward a few steps, just like Kreion.

“Young Master. . .”

“Haber.”

“Please stop. If you stop now, we can fix this.”

“Do you think you can stop if you were me?”

Haber falls to his knees.

“Please, I beg you. . .”

“Why didn’t you tell me? That my mother was starving to death.”

“. . .”

“Answer me!!”

He has never shouted like this before. And Haber knows that.

“. . . I did it so that Young Master could focus all his energy on the coming-of-age ceremony. . . No. . . It’s all an excuse. I hid it because I wanted Young Master’s coming-of-age ceremony to be successful.”

“Since when?”

“The preliminary selection. . . I’ve been hiding it since then. . .”

“So, you hid the fact that my mother died from me, her child. Because of that test?”

“There is no excuse. . .”

Kreion accepts the uncomfortable truth that he didn’t want to realize.

“You all kept your mouths shut because of your own greed. That’s why there was no one on my side in Apoptology. From the beginning.”

Haber hesitates to answer for a moment.

And he opens his mouth with difficulty, as if he has prepared for something.

“What I did for Young Master. . . It was all for me.”

“I trusted humans. Because of you.”

He was spared, but those words that came to him as reality were like a wedge.

Eventually, tears welled up in Haber’s eyes and he could no longer meet Kreion’s gaze. He hung his head over his collapsed knees and his voice trembled.

“It’s my fault. . . It’s all my fault. The other people in the facility just. . .”

“No. I’ve decided to be hostile to humans from today. I’ve killed 144 people so far, and I’ll be leaving this facility soon. And I’ll be back someday. When that time comes, I will destroy you and your race who abused me and my people.”

It must never happen.

“It’s all my fault. . .! If there’s anything I can’t forgive you for, no matter what. . . Then, then just kill me here and end it. . . Please, I beg you. . .!”

Ludwig, who is watching this situation, has a question.

—𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫. . . 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞. . .? 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐨𝐧. . .

That’s what Ludwig thinks.

Ludwig is a pure chimeraz. That’s why he thinks that way.

But then again, Kreion is also a chimeraz.

For some reason, he is hesitating to act.

Even though he was clearly betrayed.

“. . . Haber. You really are a cowardly brat.”

“Young Master. . .!”

“If you apologize like that, if you offer your life with that expression, what will happen to what I’ve done?”

Haber clings to a glimmer of hope and tries to appeal.

“We can still fix this. . .! We can’t slaughter any more people. . .! Stop here with just me and come back again. . .!”

“You have no right to ask me that.”

—𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫. . . 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝. . .?

“You could have escaped easily by avoiding me. But the reason you risked your life and waited here is to try to persuade me with words. After you betrayed me in such a grandiose way.”

“. . .”

𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘱! 𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘱! 𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘱!

Behind Kreion, tank-sized creatures emerged from the corridor in the distance.

They open their mouths like flowers.

Newly designed chimeraz with spider-like shapes, moving on three legs, and long-range attack capabilities that are not affected by human firearms.

Six Tritula lined up in a row behind Kreion.

“What are those monsters?”

“Without a colony. . .”

“We have to shoot them now!”

“Mr. Haber! Get back!”

Haber raises his head while kneeling.

And he doesn’t move.

Because if he moves away from here, he will be separated.

Haber and Kreion will be separated.

Humans and chimeraz will be separated.

That’s why Haber couldn’t move away.

“It really won’t do. . . It really won’t do. . . Anymore than this. . .”

“Today, you and I are showing our bottom.”

That’s why Kreion said that Haber was a coward.

Because he has already done what he has done.

Humans will never be able to understand how he felt, what determination, and what thoughts he had when he did what he did today.

So, he decided not to understand humans either. He already made up his mind.

“I used my mother’s dead body as a colony.”

“. . .!”

“I’m saying that I used the being who gave birth to me as a resource.”

Those words were like a time bomb that was about to explode.

“I can’t stop. Not anymore.”

𝘛𝘶𝘩𝘰𝘢𝘢𝘩𝘩𝘩𝘩!!!

Finally, the six Tritula injected bone awls into them.

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