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[Translator – Seraph]
[Proofreader – Draxx]
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Chapter 445
When playing Space Survival, things rarely go as planned.
There are simply too many variables hundreds of species, wildly differing planetary environments, entire star systems each with their own quirks. And for the Amorph, most of its playthrough is spent in a vulnerable state, so adapting to unexpected situations becomes a necessity.
‘Just like now.’
Originally, I hadn't intended to stay long at Neo First Gate City, the outer checkpoint of this star system. The plan was to pass through quickly and establish a base elsewhere.
But now, resting in my palm, was the reason for the delay a parasite from the Outspacers.
During the inspection earlier, Isabel, who had been hiding nearby, identified a soldier infected with a parasite. She told me about it once we were clear.
I already knew this system was under threat from Outspacers. The appearance of a parasite wasn’t anything surprising in itself.
What made it different was the nature of the one in the soldier’s head.
It was a parasite created through a Special Trait.
After hearing Isabel’s report, I covertly tailed the infected soldier. Thanks to that, I was able to ambush the meeting point where he and the other infected were gathering.
｢I caught everyone who tried to run.｣
[ZZ ZZ (Well done.)]
Number 26, who had come with me, unleashed its psychic power and immobilized all the fleeing infected.
Now, while holding the parasite freshly extracted from the soldier, I gently stroked the little one resting in my other arm.
‘A parasite born of a special trait, huh.’
Just as Isabel had said, the one pulled from the soldier looked vastly different from the ones I was familiar with.
Normally, Outspacer parasites resemble mine in shape, just smaller. But this one was different.
It had a perfectly round, black-bead body like a polished Go stone. It was tiny enough to slip easily into a nose or mouth. When I removed it, I found it nested deep inside the nasal cavity, close to the brain.
That’s when Number 26 tapped me with one of its tiny tentacles.
｢I know what this is. This is choco.｣
[ZZ (Choco?)]
｢People love choco. I saw it in a movie.｣
It eagerly pointed at the parasite in my hand and began explaining.
Well… it does look similar, I suppose.
Though I doubted the taste would be anything alike.
But the changes weren't just in appearance. Its capabilities were also far beyond the original.
Significantly enhanced, in fact.
Despite being smaller than a marble, this parasite can completely control a host.
I pressed down lightly with my finger, and a viscous fluid oozed from the parasite’s body.
This narcotic liquid induces a hypnotic state in its host. Once absorbed, the human starts to believe they’re dreaming. They don’t resist. They don’t tell others.
Because to them, it’s just a dream.
Once the host is subdued, the parasite takes full control of their body. It’s a much more efficient method than the pain-induced dominance my own parasites employ.
It’d be great if I could make something like this myself…
Unfortunately, that’s not possible right now.
I tossed the parasite into my mouth.
｢Tasty?｣
[ZZZ (No.)]
To Number 26’s disappointment, the taste was awful. The texture alone was enough to make my form recoil. I digested it instantly, but no new traits manifested.
To gain its abilities, I’d need to consume the source the queen-worker that spawns them. Just like I did when I acquired the ‘Parasitic Hive’ trait.
Or… I could take down the one who created this thing.
He’s one of the returnee elites Rank 4 among the Outspacer leaders, and the creator of this enhanced parasite through his unique Special Trait.
If I steal that power… I’ll be able to make these parasites myself.
‘Was the name Chimera Engineering?’
Chimera Engineering a Special Trait that allows the implantation of genetic essences without regard for biological compatibility or limits.
The queen who can travel at Faster than light speeds, the parasite that hypnotizes and controls its hosts both were made possible thanks to this Trait. That alone shows just how powerful its potential is.
‘Of course, it comes with its own risks.’
Stuffing your swarm with high-quality genetic essences is a double-edged sword. If the enemy captures or consumes your creations, the losses are devastating.
Rank 4 knows this well he rarely overuses his Trait. Despite several clashes with the Outspacers, I’ve encountered only a few organisms enhanced through his Trait.
I scanned the infected still immobilized by Number 26’s psychic field. Since parasites don’t leak essences upon death, he must’ve deployed them so freely with that in mind.
‘That’s taken care of.’
If even a low-priority checkpoint city like this has parasites implanted, it’s likely that other space cities and planets in the system are also compromised.
‘Trying to trigger internal collapse before launching an offensive?’
Or maybe the goal is to neutralize the gate cities first.
Gate cities serve the same function as Cult surveillance offices they monitor all Faster than light traffic in and out of the star system. Once they're breached, it becomes nearly impossible to respond to ambush jumps. In that window, if an enemy fleet strikes, they could seize control of an entire system with minimal losses.
‘If this many parasites are already seeded, the preparations must be nearly complete.’
Which means the offensive will begin soon.
To be honest, that’s not necessarily bad news for me. One of my goals in coming here was to feed on large numbers of Outspacers.
But the timing’s a problem.
If war breaks out now, it’ll be hard to acquire information about the Megacorp and the Dominant Faction.
‘And I won’t be able to carry out PS-111’s request, either.’
If I were Rank 4, I’d definitely target the genetic research facility here in the NEO-3 system. To the Outspacers, gene samples are highly valuable prey.
‘I can’t let that happen.’
I need to shake things up force him to hesitate.
‘Rank 4 is extremely cautious.’
Among the Outspacer elites, he’s the most methodical and control-obsessed. He never acts unless he’s confident of complete control over a situation. Even small unexpected events prompt him to halt and recalibrate.
If something unpredictable happens now, he’ll likely delay the attack and reorganize his swarm to address it.
That’s the window PS-111 and Isabel needs to reach the facility.
‘So what’s something that’ll really throw him off?’
The most effective option would be rampaging through this city in my true form. We’ve fought a few times already, and he’s paid a price each time. If I resurface, he’ll probably stop everything and focus on trying to trap and kill me.
‘No… that would delay the invasion too much.’
Besides, he doesn’t know I’m here. It’d be a waste to throw away that advantage so soon.
‘Unless…’
An old trick came to mind one I hadn’t used in quite a while.
‘Now that I think of it, I haven’t used that Trait in ages.’
Ever since I acquired Faster than light travel, I’ve rarely needed it. I’ve used the body parts that came with it more often than the Trait itself.
‘Still… maybe it’s time to dust it off.’
After all, this entire space city is a gate hub for the star system perfect material for the Trait to act upon.
‘Then let’s wrap this up.’
I was done here. Only cleanup remained.
I extended a claw and punctured the heads of the infected still bound by 26’s psychic field.
Some, I intentionally left alive. Killing every host would alert their creator the death of a parasite sends a signal. Better to cull just enough to avoid suspicion.
｢I wanna eat the choco too.｣
While still nestled against me, 26 watched as I finished dealing with the infected. It released a small pulse.
[ZZZ ZZZ ZZZ (It tastes bad. Why eat it?)]
｢I was curious.｣
Without hesitation, it grabbed one of the parasites dying after losing its host and swallowed it whole.
A few moments later, its skin shifted into an odd hue.
｢Blegh. Not good.｣
[ZZ ZZ (Told you so)]
｢Humans are weird. Why do they eat choco?｣
[ZZ ZZZZ ZZ (I'll find you some real chocolate later)]
｢Real tasty stuff? Really?｣
[ZZZZ ZZ (Yeah. It’s in another place)]
｢Yay!｣
Number 26's entire body lit up with a bright glow as it wriggled in delight.
In lore, chocolate is categorized by the Megacorp as a nostalgic delicacy once popular in the old Solar System. It's now outdated and considered a relic of the past mostly featured in entertainment media like old films. To get some, one would need to visit colonies that still produce vintage media or stores specializing in Solar-themed goods.
‘Guess I’ve got one more errand now.’
[ZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZ (We’ll release them once we leave)]
｢Okay.｣
The cleanup was quick.
I pulled my half-peeled skin suit back over my head and stepped outside with 26 in tow.
Even though this was a space fortress, the night view wasn’t much different from any other orbital city. Streetlights lit the roads. Far off in the distance, I could see the central command tower rising above the darkened surroundings.
“The docks should be in that direction…”
Public transportation had stopped for the night. I climbed up the wall of a nearby building and onto the rooftop.
‘If I run across the rooftops, I should make it there in about an hour.’
Just as I was about to leap across the gap to the next building, something unfamiliar caught my eye below.
A cargo truck container and all was parked at the roadside.
‘A truck?’
I dropped from the rooftop and approached the vehicle. There hadn’t been anything here earlier.
Then, from the driver’s seat, a small mechanical object emerged with a metallic click. It was one of the mini-screamers that PS-111 had brought.
“MPS-05? What are you doing here?”
“Main controller. Amorph. Assistance!”
Looks like PS-111 had hacked into a dockside vehicle and sent it my way for support.
Thoughtful, sure but the truck was ridiculously oversized for just me and 26.
‘Was this meant to carry the infected?’
Otherwise, there’s no reason to go out of the way to send a truck with a container. I walked around to the back and opened the container doors.
As soon as the doors swung open, a wave of red light burst out.
Inside, curled up in the cramped space, was Adhai the red-scaled Gallagon, glowing faintly under the dim container lights.
‘…Why is she here?’
I peeled back my facial skin just enough to let a tendril emerge and reach toward her.
[ZZZ ZZZZ (Adhai? What are you doing here?)]
｢Big One｣ ｢This Place｣ ｢Many Dwarfs｣ ｢Dangerous｣
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZ (Wait, did you come here to help me?)]
｢Affirmative｣
She stared at me with her amethyst-colored eyes, her expression as steady and serious as ever.
The Stolen Identity I was using could be deactivated at any moment if I wanted. I wasn’t in danger of losing power.
But apparently, they saw things differently.
“Tch.”
It was a gesture born of concern unnecessary, yes, but not something I could scold her for.
[ZZZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ (Thank you. But next time, it’s really okay not to worry so much.)]
I sent a pulse of gratitude and reached out to stroke her neck gently.
“…Hm?'
While I was petting Adhai, a strange sensation sparked across my shoulder.
It lasted for only a split second like a tiny jolt of fire dancing across my skin.
I glanced toward Number 26, perched on my shoulder, but it looked the same as always. Calm. Neutral. Its gaze remained fixed on my face.
Adhai, too, showed no particular reaction. Her amethyst eyes remained steady, quietly watching me.
‘Was that just my imagination?’
There’s no way those two would feel any animosity toward each other. They get along well too well, even. It must’ve just been a false signal, a phantom twitch from a hyper-aware body.
I gently closed the container door where Adhai lay curled, then made my way to the driver’s seat.
“We’re heading for the docks.”
“Return! Return!”
MPS-05 responded cheerily as it interfaced with the truck’s control panel and took the wheel.
And so, a truck carrying a monster, a sea demon, and a mini screamer drove through the quiet night streets of the orbital fortress.
Which worked out just fine I needed to talk about what came next anyway.
We spent the ride discussing the plan ahead. Before I knew it, thirty minutes had passed, and the truck rolled to a stop at our destination.
“I’ll get off here. Just follow the plan from here on.”
“Confirmed. Confirmed.”
As I stepped out, I found myself surrounded by open space and rows of docked ships. 26 jumped down beside me, and we disappeared into the metallic forest of starships.
Let’s see…
Massive and modest ships stood like metal walls, stacked side by side. Some sat quietly with their lights off, crews probably off-base for the night. Others were alive with activity, MCAEs (Multipurpose Construction Auxiliary Equipment) humming as they loaded and transported cargo.
A destroyer-class ship should be about right. And ideally… one without a crew ah, there.
I spotted what I was looking for: a disarmed freighter converted from a retired destroyer. Bigger than its original model, and utterly unarmed.
‘Perfect. Time to break in.’
The area around the ship was empty loading must’ve already been completed. I crouched, then leapt into the air, grabbing onto the rear plating of the vessel.
Now came Number 26’s turn.
Still clinging to my back, it extended its power outward. Psychic pressure twisted and warped the metal hull until it tore open silently.
In seconds, a hole just large enough for a child to crawl through formed in the side of the ship.
I shrunk my body and slipped inside. A few pieces of torn skin and clothing were left behind, but it didn’t matter. This skin was just a shell; it had served its purpose.
The ship’s interior was dead quiet. The owner hadn’t realized an intruder had arrived.
Together, Number 26 and I punched through bulkhead after bulkhead, making our way deeper inside.
After carving through several walls, we finally reached the cargo bay.
In the middle of a wide open area filled with containers, I released the Stolen Identity form.
My body, which had been shrunk and simplified, began to expand rapidly filling the vacant space. Limbs and organs that had been suppressed returned to their full, grotesque glory.
As I settled back into my true shape, I pressed an invasive tendril to the floor.
｢Ship size confirmed suitable for Corrosion.｣
Good.
It had been a while since I’d seen that system message.
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ (From here on, you’ll need to protect me. Okay?)]
｢Yup! I’ll protect Big One no matter what!｣
The little one waved its tentacles confidently, full of pride.
With my back secured, I activated the card I had been saving.
My second Unique Trait one I hadn’t used in ages. The one that allows me to consume and merge with a spaceship, converting it into part of my body:
‘Horizon of Nightmare.’
This time, I plan to use it to spread chaos.
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[Translator – Seraph]
[Proofreader – Draxx]
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