Chapter 236:

Chapter 236:

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Screamers are controlled entirely by machines connected to their brains. While the original consciousness remains, all physical control is dominated by the machinery.

Despite their name, ‘Screamers’ can't even let out a sound of their own will. They're essentially moving prisons.

This holds true for the new mutant Screamers as well.

Though there are differences, such as the uncertain identity of the modified subjects and the ability to alter organic parts through gene absorption, they are still bio-weapons under machine control.

The greatest advantage of an AI-controlled combat unit is its lack of fear.

Whether witnessing a comrade being vaporized by a plasma round or seeing a Hulk Mutant tear apart a regular soldier, they remain unfazed. They simply continue advancing toward their objective.

Of course, the consciousness within the creature serving as a Screamer might feel fear, but that doesn't matter. Once the emotion control module connected to their brain is activated, their emotions won't influence their actions.

In any case, Screamers don't fear unexpected situations.

Even if space itself starts shifting, or if life signs suddenly appear throughout the entire cave, they remain undeterred.

“D Team, recalibrate your detection system.”

「B Team switching to thermal detection. Heat detected throughout the passage, making it ineffective.」

「C Team confirms that the sonic detection system acquired through 'Cave Goyle' genes remains effective.」

「E Team’s psychic detection sys...bzzt, testing...bzzt」

「Reporting to Pyra Eleven. All units stand by...bzzt」

“Psychic interference detected. Communication lines need restructuring.”

At the command of the mutant Screamer responsible for D Team’s communications, the other units went on standby. The monstrous creatures, with their grafted features from various organisms, used their respective detection organs to monitor their surroundings.

Then, from deep within the cave, gray smoke began to slither out. A Screamer in the vanguard detected it and reported.

“Toxic substances detected in the air.”

“Connect the resPyratory tubes.”

Some tubes connected to their metal skeletons and life-support systems detached and plugged into their mouths.

「Kuuuu」 「Analyzing harmful elements in the air.」

「78% probability of enemy ambush」 「Kuuuu」

The Screamers of D Team communicated in harsh mechanical voices, their mouths sealed by the tubes.

Toxic mist seeping into the narrow passageway signalled an imminent enemy attack. The Screamers drew their weapons and focused on the direction ahead.

「Kuuuu」

A rough breathing sound echoed through the cave, mixed with another noise. The squelching sound of footsteps on muddy ground. Someone was approaching.

「Kuuuu」 「Magmigator's ignition organs confirmed to be effective.」 「Kuuuu」

「Initiate preemptive strike.」 「Kuuuu」

Several Screamers with abnormally swollen flesh moved forward. Metal pipes nestled within their bloated flesh aimed toward the front.

A moment later, intense flames burst forth from the pipes, engulfing the passage. The fire, fueled by gas and flammable substances stored within their bodies, consumed the corridor.

Then, from deep inside the passage, a purple energy bolt shot out, striking one of the flame-spewing Screamers. Flesh burst open, and the flammable substances inside spilled out, covering the nearby Screamers.

The mutant Screamers' metal skeletons and mechanical parts were highly resistant to heat. Their organic exteriors were genetically engineered to withstand high temperatures. None of them cared that their bodies were burning.

Of course, the original minds within them were screaming in silent agony from the searing pain.

「Confirmed Gallagon presence.」 「Kuuuu」

「Commence counterattack.」

The Screamers aimed their newly attached limbs forward, firing translucent purple energy bolts. These were psychic rifles, formed by absorbing Gallagon genes.

As psychic energy bolts rained down over the roaring flames, the dark passage was instantly illuminated. At the end of the long corridor, a small, red-skinned Gallagon quickly retreated.

「Commence pursuit of the target.」 「Kuuuu」

「Confir...」

Just as D Team’s Screamers prepared to pursue, a PS unit in the rear suddenly collapsed mid-response. All eyes turned to the fallen unit.

Its head was completely gone.

And then, another dark blue energy bolt flew from behind, once again targeting the head of the PS-model unit serving as the commander.

The D Team’s commander unit raised its metal leg to block the attack. The leg vanished without a trace, as if it had been hit by a Cultist's disintegration weapon.

And then, as if being crushed by an invisible force, their bodies started to merge and compress.

The high-strength alloy skeletons bent like rubber, and the mechanical components connected to the organic parts sparked and shattered. The mutant Screamers' bodies contorted as if they had been thrown into the crushing depths of the ocean.

“Da-da-da-danger, danger, danger.”

Some of the Screamers fired off psychic energy bolts, but it was futile. The bolts froze mid-air, as if they too were being held in place by an unseen force.

“Sw-sw-swap to cluster bombs, cha-cha...”

“Ca-ca-cannot, ca-cannot resis...”

“Re-retreat, re-re-rtrtrtrt!”

They attempted to switch from energy bolts to physical weaponry, but it was futile. With their internal modules and metallic skeletons in shambles, there was nothing they could do.

All they could manage was a final death cry.

Minutes passed, and the passage fell silent.

The dozens of Screamers that had been there were no more. Instead, a large, blood-red sphere floated in the air.

As the pink balloon disappeared into the darkness, the sphere split open, spilling its contents.

A gruesome mix of blood, flesh, shattered metal fragments, and foul-smelling chemicals spilled out.

The remains scattered across the floor were quickly absorbed by the black slime coating the cave walls.

Soon, nothing was left.

---

While others were under attack, B Team and C Team continued to advance deeper into the cave.

Before the communication was cut off, their last received orders were to search the nest and eliminate Special Target A. They had decided to proceed with the exploration to gather as much information as possible needed to achieve the objective.

After advancing for some time, they came upon a massive chamber unlike anything they had seen before.

“Chamber detected. High moisture levels in the air.”

“Traces of numerous creatures detected.”

Within the chamber was a large swamp. One of the Screamers approached the swamp and dipped one of its legs into the water. Given the high temperature, this was likely a place where Gallagons rested.

“Given the environmental characteristics, the presence of a swamp is unnatural.”

“Confirmation required.”

“Commence internal investigation of the swamp.”

“Confirmed.”

The S-model Screamers of B and C Teams entered the swamp. Outside, the commander-level units waited in the passage connected to the chamber, prepared to retreat if necessary while the lower-ranking units bought them time.

“Multiple life signs detected.”

“No movement detected.”

It was a strange situation—life signs were detected, yet there was no movement. All other sensors produced contradictory results.

As the search continued, one unit noticed an unnatural ripple across the surface of the water. Periodic waves were emanating from the center of the swamp, disturbing the surface.

The Screamers quickly spread out, forming a perimeter. The unit that had detected the anomaly slowly approached the source of the waves.

Pushing through the sticky, black liquid, it saw the tip of a black rock. The surface around the rock rippled faintly, as if the waves were originating from it.

“Submersion needed for confirmation.”

“Permission granted.”

The Screamer plunged its head deep into the murky swamp water. Thanks to its aquatic gene modifications, it could easily assess the situation beneath the surface.

What lay before it wasn’t so much a rock as it was a massive, tumor-like growth. Several long, thin tendrils extended from the rock-like object. The tendrils were long enough to reach under the feet of the Screamers encircling the ‘rock’.

As the Screamer examined the tendrils, it turned its gaze to the rock itself. The moment it saw the rock, it realized the truth.

The rock—or rather, the thing that only looked like a rock—was watching it with a wide-open eye.

“Special targ—”

The Screamer tried to report the enemy, but it was too late.

A massive arm shot out from beneath the swamp and grabbed it. The Screamer's organic components shriveled and shattered upon contact with the creature's hand.

Having absorbed the Screamer's energy, the creature—no, Special Target A—began to rise slowly from the swamp.