[ZZZ ZZ ZZZ (Hey, wake up and eat)]
｢Wow!｣
｢Food!｣
Looking around, I woke the kids up. Six dead catfish were what I brought back, using arms for combat and even the small arms on my chest, gathering them all up.
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ (After eating, we’ll move to another place)]
｢Building a ho?｣
[ZZZ (Yeah.)]
As always, number number 26 understood quickly. it used its tentacles to grab the catfish and stuffed them into his body. Because of his translucent body, it was clear how the catfish dissolved inside him.
｢Tasty.｣
Just like number 26, who never had picky eating habits, he quickly finished off one of the catfish. On the other hand, Adhai, after sucking the blood of the dead catfish with his oral tentacles, wrinkled his brow.
｢Food｣ ｢Not tasty｣
A Gallagon, contorting his expression like that, was sothing I hadn’t seen before. Compared to Amorphs who lacked any facial expressions other than the movent of their mouth, Gallagons seed to have a more rich range of emotions.
｢Taste.｣ ｢Terrible.｣
Seemingly as it was really unpleasant, he shivered while furrowing his body.
‘It’s kind of like that.’
Among the foods I had eaten since becoming Amorph, the worst tasting was definitely the calorie bars. That’s until I had the dead catfish. I did provide it, but it was undeniably unpalatable. I didn’t have much to say about Adhai’s complaints.
However, number 26 didn’t seem to share the sa sentint. It pulled out his tentacle and smacked Adhai’s head.
｢Pain!｣
｢You’ll grow big if you eat a lot. If you want to be big like the big ones, you gotta eat everything.｣
｢I｣ ｢Growth｣ ｢Desire｣
｢That’s right.｣
｢I｣ ｢Growth｣ ｢Bigger｣ ｢Adult｣ ｢Know｣ ｢Possible.｣
“…”
｢Pain!｣
Let’s leave those two alone since they seem to get along well. I waited until they finished eating the dead catfish before moving to the next location with the kids.
In this sewer system, sewage treatnt facilities were placed at intervals along the passages for purification. Here, through the dead catfish and small sewage treatnt facilities, larger foreign substances were sieved out in the primary phase, followed by a secondary system in the deep underground city sewage treatnt plant to purify the contaminated water.
‘Upon closer inspection, there are no detectors except in places with small sewage treatnt facilities.’
The detector seed to send a signal only when there was an object nearby that was large enough for small sewage treatnt facilities to handle.
‘With my size, I will definitely trigger it.’
Among us, Adhai, who has the smallest size, barely escapes the conditions of the detector.
‘Even if I don’t trigger it, it’s too risky to build a nest around the detector.’
Since there are small sewage treatnt facilities nearby, there is a very high chance that the city’s managers will co regularly to inspect.
Even if we’re unlucky, people might co today. It’s too risky to build a nest in such a place.
‘I guess this should be enough.’
The point where I intended to build a new nest was relatively far from both the manhole and the sewage treatnt facility, almost equidistant. This place had relatively shallow water and protruding parts on the walls, providing space to rest comfortably for number 26 and . But since Adhai wasn’t an aquatic organism, It needed a space to rest comfortably.
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ(Wait for to build a nest)]
｢Yeah.｣
After informing the kids, I climbed the wall and moved up to the ceiling.
‘The nests I had previously laid were all destroyed while I was asleep. As expected, the enemies quickly discovered the secret passage. They would undoubtedly search the secret passage and eliminate my nest along with it. So, I plan to create a new nest in this sewer system.’
‘Normally, I would let the mucus secreted from my body solidify and wait for it to beco a nest. But not this ti. I’ll have to directly apply the secreted mucus to build the nest.’
‘Since I can’t install the nest underwater, when it cos into contact with water, the mucous consistency doesn’t solidify. But it doesn’t matter once the structure and spores of the nest are completed.’
‘Water is still a good dium. The nest, through various stimuli from the surroundings, can perceive nearby objects, environnts, and more.’
‘Starting now.’
I used my arms to apply the mucous substance being secreted from my body onto the ceiling. The highly viscous mucus flowed and solidified like stalactites. The mucous substances that flowed down along the rounded tunnel walls spread out like wooden stems and lightly touched the water surface.”
‘After an hour of starting to build the nest, the basic frawork was complete.’
The newly ford nests on the walls and ceiling will expand on their own without interfering.
‘Great.’
As I confird the slow expansion of the nest, I pressed my body tightly against the ceiling. Firmly securing myself with hands and feet to avoid falling, I linked the auxiliary chanism on my jaw to the nest. The nest grabbed my consciousness and pulled in.
Instead of Amorph’s small body, this gigantic artificial structure felt like my own body. Information about the fluids flowing through the city’s veins and the impurities within seeped into my mind. In the pitch-black darkness, dead bodies and catfish feasting, their nas unknown, existed under the vibrant and glamorous city, surrounded by an imasurable dampness.
Unexpectedly, amidst my exploration of the sewers, my senses picked up sothing unusual.
‘A person?’
Suddenly, I sensed human presence in various parts of the sewer. Initially, I thought it might be corpses discreetly disposed of. However, seeing that they were not moving along with the current but rather moving independently, it was evident that they were living individuals.
‘People here? And so many at once?’
‘I need to investigate.’
I detached the link and leaped into the water.
｢Where to?｣
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ (I have sothing to check)]
｢Got it. I’ll wait.｣
After informing number 26 that I would return soon, I headed toward the detected movent of people.
While subrged in the water, I felt a change in the water’s flow. With only the auxiliary chanism protruding above the surface to detect the air, I heard voices coming from a distance.
‘There’s more than just one or two.’
The current location was a junction. Movent from 10 individuals on the left and three on the right was detected. From the unrefined movents and trembling in their voices, it was evident that they were all civilians.
‘Why would civilians co here?’
Lowering myself underwater again, I moved towards the quieter right passage with fewer people. Apart from the sound of water, the sewer was silent. But the noise of the three people there echoed through.
“If we manage to survive and get out of here, it’s a confird release, right?”
“That’s what I heard.”
“It’s better than dying in the entertainnt zone. Damn, do you know what happened to the guys who ca with ? They all beca raw fish before they died.”
“Damn, it gives chills. Crazy bastards. Why did they send us here? What could possibly be here?”
“I don’t know what’s here, but those who keep their promise. If we get out alive, we’re all free.”
“Ugh, that idiot must be having a good ti. His head’s a flower garden.”
Three n were conversing among themselves as they approached this way. They were in a state of undress, without protective suits in this filthy place. The only equipnt shielding them in this contaminated space was the oxygen masks covering their faces.
“Even at the Entertainnt District, I’ve never dealt with this much crap. Now, it’s crap-water.”
“Stop grumbling. Be careful; the depth is increasing.”
“Damn, I have aquaphobia, for f*ck’s sake…”
The passage I was in was relatively deep from a human perspective. Monts ago, when the sewage surged up to chest level from waist level, they cursed.
“For f*ck’s sake! Couldn’t they at least provide us with protective suits?”
“Be careful not to wet the gun! That’s all our credit!”
“We might as well be frozen with debts.”
They raised their flashlights and laser guns high to prevent them from touching the water.
‘They don’t seem like administrators.’
Those with responsibilities for the foundational facilities of the space city belong to advanced managent; they wouldn’t be here with such shabby equipnt. Moreover, sothing one of them said caught my attention.
‘Confird release?’
In gaCorp, ‘confird release’ has two anings. One is the literal sense of release, the other refers to tasks assigned to those employed by gaCorp. Employees fall into three categories: individuals with overwhelming debt, criminals who committed major cris, or humans from farm planets nurturing employees as livestock.
Employees are treated as resources rather than humans. Their employnt lasts until gaCorp deems it profitable, and until then, they’re obligated to follow gaCorp’s orders unquestioningly.
‘In the community, they jokingly call them “Corporate Slave” (社畜), which ans livestock.’
[Note:- The term “Corporate Slave” (社畜) is a Korean slang word that combines the Chinese characters “社” (society) and “畜” (livestock). It is used colloquially to refer to individuals who are perceived as working tirelessly for society or corporations, often at the expense of their personal well-being.]
In the ga, rcenaries used by gaCorp players are also forr employees. Most employees die before completing their service, either for reconnaissance or as at shields.
‘And their debts are transferred to family or relatives, according to the setting.’
Personally, I found it excessive, but among users who enjoy dystopian settings, it was well-received.
‘Anyway, those guys seem like employees.’
Employees are essentially subhuman, slaves even, and it’s crucial not to leave their positions voluntarily. Their presence here implies soone deliberately ordered them here.
‘Let’s observe a bit more.’
Their armants weren’t significant, so there wasn’t an imdiate need to attack. I approached them slowly while subrged. My slow movents caused a slight disturbance in the waves.
“Whoa!”
“What’s up?”
“Sothing just moved in the water.”
“Oh, Don’t bullshit! It’s just us here.”
“No, seriously! Sothing moved over there!”
[ZZZ ZZZ ZZZ( Team 15. What’s going on? Why did you stop?)]
“Uh, nothing at all.”
[The other teams are still moving. Team 15 doesn’t seem enthusiastic about fulfilling their obligations.]
“No, no! We’ll move right away!”
The leader, equipped with a small communication device on his chest, repeatedly bowed his head.
After the transmission ended, he seed furious and began hitting the person next to him violently. Due to the flashlight hitting his head, blood stread from the side of his temple.
“You idiot! If you want to beco raw at while still alive, do it on your own! Don’t drag us into this ss!”
“Sorry!”
“Stop fighting, you crazy idiots!”
Indeed, they were bait. Soone intentionally set up bait here.
‘The Knights.’
Recently, they’ve been causing trouble here since their arrival, invited by the council. But I didn’t expect them to find this quickly. Their tracking of my movents is faster than I anticipated.
If the Knights are here in the sewers, it ans the city’s higher-ups are sharing their plans. Yet they haven’t sent heavily ard knights and soldiers this way.
‘They’re not concerned about casualties. There’s definitely sothing fishy.’
Regardless, for now, killing these three here is on hold. Their plan is uncertain, and unless the enemy is foolish, they would have prepared a number against the bait.
I remained motionless in my position.
Three of them passed , trembling with anxiety and fear.
“Look! You idiot, there’s nothing here.”
“Did I see wrong?”
“Cough, I think I’m feeling unwell already. Let’s finish this quickly and leave.”
I quietly followed behind them. One of them with a sensitive disposition towards the back shone a flashlight, but I wasn’t caught, as nothing could be seen in the murky water.
Continuing to follow them, we reached a junction where multiple paths intersected, and about 60 people in similar attire were waiting. Among them stood a knight in silver armor.
Getting closer could risk getting caught. I didn’t enter the open area but stayed behind the wall, leaving only the auxiliary organ exposed.
‘Everyone seems to have arrived.’
The knight was unaware of my presence and was communicating.
“This is Team 3, Tennessee. No more than 60 mbers present.”
[Chizik, This is Team 1, Vicus. No more than 80 mbers present.]
[Hey, Chizik, this is Team 2, Jacob. Five mbers haven’t arrived yet, Chizik, awaiting orders.]
“Team 3, Tennessee, sir Jacob’s signal is weak. Requesting a check.”
[Chizik, got it, Chizik, understood.]
Listening their conversation, I scanned the surroundings with the auxiliary organ. Many footsteps above suggested that those present were all soldiers.
‘There’s a nearby manhole, so they’re using this as a base.’
According to the overheard information, the enemy has three bases. When I linked to the nest, I couldn’t sense the other two. Their positions seed quite distant from each other.
A wide search point narrowing down to specific areas. The enemy is trying to surround and lure into a specific area.
‘When I take the bait, the Knights and soldiers will continue to reinforce their encirclent.’
‘Just like fox hunting.’
The difference is that instead of hounds, they’ve set multiple baits. They’ll keep reinforcing their encirclent until one mont, and that’s when they’ll initiate the operation to eliminate .
“Team 3, Tennessee. Awaiting orders.”
[Chizik, Team 2, Jacob. Everyone is assembled.]
[Team 1, Vicus. Understood. Initiating Operation Ghost Hunt . Release all the baits.]
“Did you all hear? Move quickly.
“Yes, sir!”
Even though they were blatantly treated as bait, there was no sign of resistance among the people here.
‘It’s obvious since there’s a bomb in their heads. Well, technically, it’s an ultra-small chip emitting electromagnetic waves, but the effect is no different from a bomb. Disobedience results in the brain being fried.’
The baits, with lancholic expressions, began to return along the sa route.
The three who guided here also turned to walk back through the passage they ca from, but Tennessee called them back.
“Hey.”
“Yes?”
“Why is there blood on your head? Did you get attacked?”
“Oh, no. This guy just tripped…”
“Tsk, how pathetic.”
Tennessee clicked his tongue and gestured, and the three bowed their heads and moved on again.
“Hmm.”
When the bait stopped in place, a communication directly ca in from the headquarters. I saw it when I followed the three earlier; it’s certain.
There’s a high probability that so sort of chip is embedded in their bodies to transmit signals with movent. Perhaps the command the bait received is to move continuously along a predetermined route.
‘If soone dies or becos immobile, that’s when they dispatch knights and soldiers.’
However, the recent scene was intriguing.
From the base’s perspective, they don’t know about the bait’s minor injuries.
‘This is getting interesting.’
Unstable communication in the sewage, limited information exchange, a dark and obstacle-filled battlefield. All of these suit my tastes perfectly.
‘They’re hunting , huh?’
It’s an amusing proposition. Since I love hunting, we’ll see who becos the fox after this hunt is over.
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