Chapter 11. Destruction of Daily Life (11)
"They're gone."
The monsters that had been chasing Nadia and me from the shuttle station were no longer in sight. Although it wasn't completely certain from the gap in the door, the lack of any signs for a while suggested that there were no monsters nearby.
Before stepping outside, I conducted a final check of my equipment and physical condition.
I gripped my tool tightly, ready to fend off any monsters that might attack, and had already shared low-rank medical supplies with Nadia. The new work suit felt a bit stiff due to its lack of wear but aside from that, I had done everything I could.
'There could be an infection effect.'
I thought.
I figured that it would be best not to get bitten if possible. The work suit was thick enough to withstand one bite but considering the monsters' strong bite force, caution was necessary.
Preparing to swing my plasma cutter at any moment, I cautiously moved forward. From behind, I could hear Nadia nervously swallowing.
Out in the chilling wind that seemed to steal away the warmth trapped in the storage, I scanned my surroundings.
Frozen bloodstains, torn pieces of suits, and mysterious metal fragments scattered across the ground.
And that unstable, flickering sign.
The silence that had once settled over the base had turned to a more oppressive atmosphere with the shadow of death looming over it. With a significant amount of time passed, the sky had turned a dim crimson, making visibility difficult.
However, turning on the lights was not an option. We couldn't exactly advertise our presence to the monsters hiding in the unseen corners.
"... What's that?"
Near the storage, I spotted an overturned security robot. It wasn't new—I just hadn't noticed it before.
I had a feeling I knew this robot. It might be the robot that appeared in the records stored in the bracelet of the dead man in the storage.
There were some traces of liquid on the robot's surface, possibly electrolytes or something else, that hadn't frozen. Given the foul stench carried by the wind, it seemed highly likely that the monsters had left it there.
Despite my strength, that was only compared to other humans. Seeing the security robot so brutally dismantled, I felt a growing conviction that direct confrontation was a bad idea.
The mid-sized mining base, Heaven, was shrouded in shadows cast by the setting artificial sun. The surrounding snow fields scattered the fading light in every direction, keeping the area from falling into complete darkness.
But it was clear that darkness would soon engulf everything.
In this landscape unbefitting the name Heaven, I determined that to survive, I would have to enter the jaws of death. After giving Nadia and Carry a simple hand signal, I cautiously began to step forward, one step at a time.
"Welcome to Heaven. Due to the current emergency evacuation order, all services except for a few have been suspended. All workers, please proceed to the designated evacuation areas per the evacuation procedure."
After taking a brief glance at the words displayed on the sign, we started moving towards the place where the tunnels were located.
In complete silence, as if holding our breaths.
***
Slowly but steadily, we made our way toward the location of the orbital vehicle.
From time to time, we heard screams echoing through the frozen base. They were likely coming from those who were heading to the designated evacuation spots per the evacuation protocol.
There was no time to be glad that Nadia and I weren't the only ones alive, for the screams that reached us were death throes.
The sound announcing the end of a life. And what followed was the sound of another monster being born, like a throat being scratched from the inside.
It wasn't that I didn't think about helping them, but realistically, it was impossible. We were already struggling to manage ourselves. In such circumstances, offering to help someone was almost akin to a death wish.
With murmured apologies for the screams we heard, I steeled myself with a strong resolve.
Even as we moved towards the tunnel on the outer wall, away from the base's core where the various facilities were clustered, we could clearly see the traces left by the monsters.
Bodies that died before they could become monsters, left to freeze with icicles forming on them, and broken lighting illuminating them. The flickering lights, swaying as if in the wind, were the only lights guiding us.
"Could they be... mingled in?"
An unsettling thought crossed my mind: Could there be monsters hiding in among the iced bodies? Unconsciously, I came to a halt and stared at the debris.
Nadia, who was following closely, bumped her nose against my back and made a face. She rubbed her reddened nose due to various factors and followed my gaze without asking aloud why I had stopped.
Nadia, who was watching the icy remains intently, gently grabbed my arm and opened her mouth just to close it again, her expression asking why I had stopped.
"..."
Silently, I shook my head and resumed walking, trusting that as long as we didn't go any closer, we'd be fine, even if there were monsters pretending to be dead.
*Whoosh*—
The sound of a whistling wind tickled my eardrums. Seeing snowflakes gradually getting caught up in the wind, it seemed like a blizzard was going to hit tonight.
*Crackle... Crackle...*
When we were almost near the tunnel, we found two damaged security robots, sparking with blue electricity. Traces of robots were apparent everywhere because disturbances hadn't erupted in just one spot.
I considered removing the suppression shockwave generator attached to the security robot's arm to take it with us but gave up shortly. Even if I succeeded in removing it, without modifications, it wasn't suitable for human use.
"If it's not immediately usable, it's a burden."
Finding an orbital vehicle was our top priority for now.
That's when Nadia stopped me by grabbing my hand. Even without looking back, I knew why she stopped me. A cargo orbital vehicle laden with a pile of rocks came into view.
However, it was too soon to celebrate.
"The track's broken."
Seeing the frozen bloodstains splattered across the cockpit and the twisted tracks, along with the carcass of a creature stuck in between, hinted that a tough battle had occurred here.
Though track repair wasn't exceedingly difficult, it was impossible to execute right now. Our current gear wouldn't allow us to hold the line while repairs were ongoing.
Fortunately, there wasn't just one orbital vehicle available. I checked and rechecked to ensure there was no one around before whispering quietly.
"Carry, inform us immediately if anything approaches besides Nadia and me. Whatever it is. Understood?"
【ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌ )】
Carry proudly gave a thumbs up, assuring its reliability. Despite being unable to speak, it was a smart little thing and would stand guard effectively.
We bypassed the wrecked vehicle reeking of blood and began searching for a functional one. Since it wasn't an open space but an area littered with hiding spots, my body subconsciously tensed.
The fear of not knowing what might jump out led to muscle contraction, but I couldn't afford to be consumed by it. If my body froze, I wouldn't be able to respond to emergencies adequately.
Before long, we stumbled upon another orbital vehicle. But the one we found this time was also unusable.
Its condition was even worse. Whatever had occurred had left the vehicle overturned.
Near the orbital vehicle, with its underside entirely exposed and its internal components scattered, a body missing its lower half and a shattered tablet lay buried in snow.
"Was he a technician? Or a maintenance team member?"
As I picked up the tablet and brushed off the snow eyes, the screen turned on, indicating it was still functional.
"Total of 56 reported repair requests"
【SSTC 2 Shuttle thruster malfunction and window damage → Repair Complete.】
【SSTC C-type Orbital Vehicle Track Wear → Repair In Progress.】
【......】
【SSTC 5 Shuttle Auxiliary Armor Deployment Malfunction → Repair In Progress.】
As I scanned the repair requests received by the maintenance team, I remembered the shuttle number associated with the auxiliary armor deployment malfunction. Shuttle number 5. That was the shuttle Nadia and I had boarded. The one that had crashed after being attacked by the base.
"... So we knew the auxiliary armor wouldn't deploy."
It seemed that because the armor only deployed in emergencies, its repair priority was low and had been pushed back. If the auxiliary armor had deployed correctly, we wouldn't have had to undertake such a dangerous mission.
The maintenance team's tablet suddenly flickered out, signaling the end of its lifespan, thwarting my hopes of identifying a functional orbital vehicle. It didn't power back on, indicating it was completely dead. Another relic of the past, it seemed.
Just as I resigned myself to finding the next orbital vehicle, a distorted broadcast message blared from the speakers near the tunnel.
【Attention. Power grid damaged. Preparing for power grid restoration. Isolation system temporarily disabled—*static*...!】
In an instant, the lights that were struggling to illuminate the tunnel entrance went out.
"...!"
"...!"
Suddenly plunged into darkness, we gasped for air, overwhelmed.
All we could see was darkness, all we could hear was the sound of our own breathing—left over from the abrupt disappearance of light.
Not due to the cold, but for another reason, I felt my fingertips begin to tremble delicately as I frantically turned my head, desperately searching for faint blue light.
Before long, we caught sight of light emanating from Carry's thrusters and waited for her to approach.
However, something was off about the speed at which the light approached. It was coming, yet it felt more like it was charging forward—
"...!"
Realizing what was happening, I grabbed Nadia's hand and started running blindly forward. There was only one reason why Carry, who had been vigilantly keeping watch, would behave so unpredictably.
"I can hear it."
Sounds of ice breaking and a group approaching.
The sound of metal twisting, accompanied by the screeches of the monsters.
【Beep, beep!】
Carry, in such a rush, didn't even have an expression on her monitor as she emitted a warning sound. The clever little thing passed by us, indicating for us to follow her.
【Kiiaaakk!】
We weren't the only ones who saw that light, but at this point, we had already been discovered. It was better to create an environment slightly to our advantage.
"Nadia, there!"
I pointed to an orbital vehicle visible at the edge of the light. Whether it was functional or not, I couldn't tell. But we had to get in. For the sake of staying alive.
We dashed towards the orbital vehicle parked with its cargo opening slightly ajar from transporting mined waste, racing straight to the cockpit.
Or at least, that's what we would have done if the door hadn't been tightly sealed.
"Why won't it open...!"
"Damn, this pile of scrap!"
Nadia was already authorized after scanning her bracelet as a mid-level worker, but the vehicle's age and the ice lodged in the door seams hindered it from opening immediately.
Under normal circumstances, we'd have waited patiently. After all, even an outdated orbital vehicle was property of the base, and mishandling it meant bearing full responsibility.
With the creatures closing in and my anxiety mounting with every second, I smashed the window with the tool in my hand.
The window shattered almost explosively due to the forceful strike. The clamor of breaking glass was swallowed by the fierce winds, and the groan of the forcibly opened door interrupted the rush of the air.
"Get in!"
"Gah...!"
Nadia hurled herself into the cockpit. Her hair a disheveled mess, she quickly started the engine using her bracelet's authorization and gripped the control stick, stepping on the accelerator pedal.
Consequently, the stationary track started moving and propelled the vehicle forward.
【Screeeech!】
As the vehicle, sluggishly gaining momentum, crept forward, the monsters clung to it. With claws as sharp as blades, they clung to the vehicle's armor, screeching loudly as if desperate to kill us, nestled within the cockpit.
"Aaahhhh!"
"Get off!"
Screaming at the sight of the creature reaching through the shattered window to grab us, Nadia shrieked while I struggled to kick the beast to keep it at bay.
Separated by just a door, we found ourselves in a standoff with the monsters. If only the safety on the plasma cutter was disengaged, I could have scorched away these nuisances easily, but the situation didn't allow for that, heightening the sense of crisis.
Despite straining to push the monster back with my tool, it seemed a futile effort. From this position, I couldn't exert the necessary force, only wearing myself out.
Already depleted, I couldn't afford to waste more energy. Spotting the grabber installed on the orbital vehicle, I knew Nadia had seen it too.
"Nadia, it'll go on autopilot to the destination! I-I'll try to use the crane to shake off the monsters!"
"Whatever it is, do it fast...!"
I shouted, kicking a monster displaying its maw, with serrated teeth nestled between split jaws. Its slimy residue clung to my boots, yet I couldn't be bothered with it.
【Beep!】
Oversized for the cockpit, Carry was outside, deploying a cutting laser with her auxiliary arms. The red thermal beam swept over the monster's wrist, lodged in the cockpit door.
【Keieeeek!】
Though incomparable to the plasma cutter, the cutting laser demonstrated considerable power. As flesh charred and white smoke rose, the monster's agonized screams echoed.
"Gasp...!"
Seeing one of the monster's clawed arms slump to its side, I tightened my grip and thrust the tool forward. As Nadia said, the laser-scorched area was regenerating or mutating in real-time. This was the chance to dislodge the monster clinging to us.
*Thwack!*
I jabbed the tip of the cutter between the four-split face and twisted my hand to inflict maximum damage. The ghastly sensation of crushing flesh traveled vividly through the tool.
I gritted my teeth reflexively. Nonetheless, I steadied myself, drawing out an additional tool to jab once more, successfully dislodging one monster.
But it wasn't the only monster gripping the orbital vehicle. There was the sound of heavy thumps from the ceiling, the scrape of claws against the walls, and the rattling of the cargo hold.
However, those creatures were not my responsibility to handle.
The crane, installed in the cargo hold, moved into position under Nadia's control, heaving its body up. With a clinking sound, the claw attachment opened wide, and it snatched a shrieking monster like it was plucking a stuffed toy.
Except, unlike a claw machine, this claw had formidable strength.
"Got it!"
"Now toss it!"
"Got it!"
The snatched creature wrestled against the metal claw, desperately trying to wriggle free, but its opponent was a cargo crane. No competition in output.
*Whooomm—
The crane lifted its cargo, shaking its head fiercely as if discarding trash, tossing the monster backward. It tumbled out of sight with a thud.
Nadia, lips tightly drawn, manipulated the crane, her steely focus trained via the external camera showing another monster's location. Despite the difficulty, she wielded the crane with the deftness of an extension of herself.
The creature striving to attack Carry was tossed out, and another monster, aiming for the cockpit, was knocked down by the claw, ground into the track beneath.
Seeing the vehicle struggling to gain speed, I urgently scanned the cockpit and began pressing buttons frantically.
The button I pressed activated the command to eject the entire cargo. The vehicle followed the instruction and opened the cargo hold completely.
Rocks and rubble spilled onto the snowfield, creating obstacles that hindered the pursuing monsters. Among the billowing snow powder, the shapes of the monsters vanished. Some even appeared to be buried beneath the rock pile.
Watching the scenery whiz by as we gained momentum, Nadia and I heaved sighs of relief in unison, letting our bodies collapse from the tension.