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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Jjescus]
[Proofreader – Demon God’s Disciple]
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Chapter 84
“Ahem, that concludes the presentation. Any, um, questions?”
The dissection team manager carefully set down the trembling microphone.
Skyscraper Monument Conference Room.
Here, the pinnacle of power within MegaCorp had gathered—the elders and patriarchs of Prime Capital, including Akira Yujin, the current CEO, and the Thomson Family of T&C. Elders from other noble families of MegaCorp were also present.
The management of MegaCorp sat in shock and silence after the dissection team’s presentation. Someone among them muttered,
“I never knew T&C was deeply involved in genetic engineering.”
Even though this statement was made in the presence of Akira Yujin, no one pointed it out. Even he couldn’t maintain his composure due to extreme astonishment.
‘Four different gene types perfectly combined. Was that even possible?’
Akira Yujin was confident that even if he heard the news of Earth splitting, it wouldn’t be as surprising as this moment. The information presented by the meagre-looking man exceeded the genetic technology of theYujin family by far.
‘This is dangerous.’
As soon as he had that thought, someone in the conference room raised their hand. It was Wei Zhao, who had control over MegaCorp’s media.
“Haha, looks like there’ll be a generational shift in the Noble Capital.”
Generational shift. It hinted at a possible reversal in the relationship betweenYujin and T&C after this presentation. Simultaneously, it implied that Wei himself would change his stance.
He was quicker at changing positions, like a bat, than anyone else. With Wei’s words, the atmosphere in the conference room shifted dramatically, becoming more favorable towards T&C.
Seeing this, Laila smiled.
‘Finally!’
Despite her recent health struggles, this moment was exhilarating enough for her to forget all the pain. At this moment, her appearance, due to illness, resembled a living corpse, with eyes gleaming wildly. Clearly abnormal, but no one pointed it out.
The dissection team’s presentation was valuable enough to captivate everyone, including her father, Samdam.
Amidst the euphoria over the presentation, only one person was barely suppressing rising anger within.
“Damn thieves!”
Denver, head of the Eden Family, gritted his teeth.
Laila and the dissection team manager had packaged today’s presentation as their achievement, but Denver knew better. He knew what led to the results announced today.
‘That creature was originally mine!’
If his relationship with Laila hadn’t soured, he might have had a say, a reward for assisting in monster suppression. But their relationship was shattered, and the Vice commander of the Silver lion knights, Vicus, who could have explained this, had yet to appear.
‘Their funding from T&C might be cut off at this rate.’
Samdam was giving him money for one reason—to limit Akira Yujin’s influence if a new Hulk mutant appeared. But now, there was no need. They could create their own by utilizing the monster’s corpse.
‘No, it’s not over yet.’
Denver’s eyes turned cold. The claimed achievement they boasted about was solely obtained from that monster’s corpse. If that corpse disappeared, his feared future would never materialize.
‘I must get hold of that corpse!’
Fortunately, his knights were detained in a room somewhere within Monument. If he ordered them to take ‘appropriate’ action, it wouldn’t be impossible to get hold of the corpse in this building somewhere.
While Denver plotted a dangerous conspiracy, Akira summoned Code Black disguised as a security guard.
“Look into the dissection team manager.”
“Yes, understood.”
“If necessary, bring in Code Red.”
“…I’ll handle it immediately.”
Code Black hurriedly left, but Akira’s gaze remained fixed on the dissection team manager—the recipient of such intense interest from the MegaCorp management.
Normally, he would have been extremely pleased. If only ‘that’ hadn’t made its nest in his house.
Four days ago, he escaped using the Monument Security Team’s truck and took refuge in his house. Due to this, he had to sleep in the basement while sensing that ‘it’ was monitoring him.
But his cries for help never reached outside.
‘Hmm?’
Somewhere, a familiar synapse flew in.
Among the five parasites, one settled on the dissection team manager.
‘Sensed stress and shallow resentment from the dissection team manager?’
With that statement, it reported giving ‘appropriate’ pain to the arrogant host.
‘Is it because of the house?’
Currently, I am temporarily using the dissection team manager’s house as my hideout.
‘Senior officials receive housing in the administrative zone.’
The special trading hub provides free housing and personal vehicles to cultists and high-ranking officials. William, whom I previously captured, also resided in the administrative zone. Currently, all my enslaved cultists live nearby.
‘Besides, the dissection team manager is quite useful.’
He regularly reports information about me to the city’s overseer. This is why the upper echelons of Monument have failed to associate sudden employee disappearances with me.
‘Moreover, the feared leak of information isn’t significant.’
According to the dissection team manager, my genetic information isn’t registered in MegaCorp’s data archive. It seemed to be due to orders from the city’s overseer, but the reason remained speculative.
‘Perhaps it’s due to greed.’
Similar to the Eden Knights, who hid the dissection for monopolizing my rights in the city, mistakes were committed by entrusting the research solely to the dissection team and its ‘subordinates.’
‘They are ignorant.’
Their obsession with the illusion of ‘achievements’ blinded them to what was happening in reality.
‘Calling it progress while the city is dying.’
A variant of space bacteria, known as the ‘Death,’ emerged from the sewers. Those who fought in the sewage are actively spreading an unidentified disease throughout the city.
The space bacteria itself isn’t fatal enough to kill people. At best, it’s as harmful as the common cold or flu virus. But due to its combination with various pollutants in the sewer, it mutated into an epidemic.
“If it weren’t for the Eden Knights, it wouldn’t have spread to Monument and the administrative zone.”
If not for them, it would have ended with neutralizing the fleet. My intention was merely to infect those who posed the greatest obstacles to my escape.
However, due to the Knights participating in the suppression and subsequently being detained in Monument, the spread exceeded my intentions. By now, most inside the Monument would likely be infected.
‘It might become uncontrollable in a few more days.’
There’s no problem as grave as an epidemic spreading in a sealed structure floating in space. Moreover, if the managers of the structure become the first victims of the epidemic, this place would definitely fall into complete chaos.
‘However, they are preoccupied with something else.’
Thanks to their foolish decisions, I could easily fulfill the conditions for evolution.
[Pre saint > Quasi Saint evolution condition: Transformable sentient beings 20/20 (achieved), Humanoid sentient beings 20/20 (achieved), Psychic power usage by sentient beings 12/20 (unachieved).]
‘Now, there are only 8 cultists left.’
Before coming to this house, I devoured a Night Watchman Wolf from the security team and afterwards, the cultists in the administrative zone. Consequently, I’m close to fulfilling all the evolution conditions.
‘When I finish consuming them all, the fleet will be completely neutralized due to the pandemic.’
Then, I can leave with number 26 and Adhai.
Even if they wanted to pursue me, there would be a shortage of soldiers and officers to board the ship. Of course, there’s the option of transporting androids, but MegaCorp doesn’t allow androids on ships after the StarUnion rebellion.
Therefore, unless I resolve the space bacteria variant that I spread, tracking me in this city won’t be easy.
‘Everything is proceeding as planned.’
I ended my rest and got up.
‘But how are the kids doing?’
Conversing with them was challenging due to the distance between us.
The wavelengths I emitted reached, but they kept getting interrupted in the middle, making proper communication impossible. I could keep trying, but this place is inhabited by cultists. Beings sensitive to psychic powers like me and number 26th can intercept the wavelengths I emit.
‘Maybe if it’s the cult in Central Control Room 1.’
Those cultists there are entities traversing the same path as the cultists I’ve consumed so far. Fighting one-on-one was risky enough; being outnumbered spells defeat.
‘The Yak Horn Cultists are incredibly powerful.’
Cultists specialize in psychic powers based on their horn appearance, with varying strengths. For instance, a goat horn is auxiliary, while a mountain goat horn is melee combat-focused. Their abilities amplify significantly when using powers aligned with their horn type.
‘The Yak Horn excels in four psychic power types.’
Melee combat, ranged combat, buffs, crowd control—strong in these four types, receiving over three times synergy when using those abilities. Despite my enhanced defenses due to traits and types, the psychic powers used by Yak Horn cultists are formidable.
‘That’s why I’m targeting other cultists.’
I escaped from the Head Manager’s house. Today, my targets are two cultists in Central Control Room 2. After tracking them for two days, I discovered they live together as a couple.
‘Both Goat Horn Cultists. Not particularly powerful in combat.’
Thanks to my psychic immunity and complete organic nature, there’s no cultist in this city, aside from Yak Horn cultists, capable of harming me. Moreover, I have no intention of confronting them directly.
‘This is it.’
I succeeded in infiltrating their home. The structure matched the Head Manager’s house, yet it felt entirely different. The Head Manager’s house had a nerdy vibe, while this one seemed much more refined. The antique feel exuded from the aged leather-smelling chairs and the wooden table with clear Nyite markings.
‘This place should work for hiding.’
I crawled into the basement.
“Oh, darling, not here, please…”
“Why not? It’s good.”
“We just got off work. Let’s shower first.”
“Together?”
“Seriously!”
“Alright, I’ve set it up; take your time.”
The couple, kissing passionately since entering the house, reluctantly separated amidst disappointment. As the female cultist headed upstairs, her male partner unexpectedly called her back.
“Hey, wait a sec.”
“Huh? What’s up?”
Softly grabbing her face, he kissed her.
“Mm, oh, jeez, darling… Ugh!”
Mid-kiss, the male cultist skillfully used psychic powers to sweep down her back. Feeling a rush of electricity, the female cultist groaned from her lips.
“Ah… dar… please! Stop!”
Managing to gather herself, she pushed him away with both arms. Blushing intensely, she looked at her amused partner, unable to get angry. She sighed and went upstairs.
“Alright, let’s get ready.”
The male cultist retrieved a premium bottle of wine and two glasses hidden in the cabinet. Items specially acquired from Earth for today. Carrying the gifts, he headed upstairs. But a voice called from above.
“Darling, the hot water isn’t running properly!”
“Again? Alright! I’ll check it from downstairs!”
Yelling to his girlfriend, the male cultist, carrying the gifts, opened the basement door.
“Huh? Why now?”
Turning on the basement lights yielded no response. He contemplated bringing a flashlight.
“It’s probably nothing.”
Carrying the wine and glasses, he descended into the basement. Familiar with the layout from previous encounters, navigating the dim basement posed no challenge.
“Was it this?”
He adjusted the water temperature. The machine’s light changed from red to green, and he heard his girlfriend’s thankfulness from above.
“I’ll go check…”
As he attempted to turn, he felt it. There was something behind him.
Thud!
The wine bottle in his hand shattered on the cold floor. The liquid flowing was too crimson to be wine.
“Heh, heh.”
The female cultist hummed cheerfully under the warm water. Having recently worked overtime, she was delighted to come home on time for once.
‘He said it was a surprise, what could it be?’
Before coming home, her boyfriend mentioned a surprise gift but didn’t reveal what it was. He just asked her to anticipate it. As she wondered how surprising it could be, she heard the sound of the bathroom door opening behind her.
‘Today was too easy.’
The cultist couple failed to acknowledge my presence at home, leading to their defeat without resistance.
‘No matter the cultists in the city, they should never let their guard down this much.’
Even on a planet where cultists reside, I couldn’t defeat goat horn cultists this easily. Anyhow, with one goal achieved, I left for the hideout. Given the evening hour, people were scarce on the streets, so I took a different route than when I arrived.
‘Just six more to capture.’
The Head Manager’s house wasn’t far.
‘Huh?’
Someone stood in front of his house. As soon as I recognized their existence, a brief scene appeared and vanished from my sight.
[Unavoidable encounter.]
[I died.]
‘What?’
That was a danger prediction effect sent by my predator sense. In that moment of realization, my combat arm was severed.
‘Argh?!’
[Pain nullification Activated!]
While almost losing consciousness due to excruciating pain, the pain mitigation swiftly alleviated it. I quickly threw myself backward. The sidewalk block I stood on was obliterated by an intangible object.
‘Psychic Whip?’
The object that severed my arm and made the street rubble was a weapon created using abilities I know well. However, as far as I know, this ability shouldn’t have this level of destructive power.
“Indeed. Was it such a thing?”
The woman standing in front of the Head Manager’s house was the mastermind who materialised the impossible.
“If captured for research there, producing such research results wouldn’t be difficult.”
As she reached out, a vivid purple whip appeared in the air. She now bore Yak’s horns on her temples.
“I dedicate you to Lord Akira.”
A whip measuring tens of meters came hurtling toward me.
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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Jjescus]
[Proofreader – Demon God’s Disciple]
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