Story Reader / Hidden Story / 16 Evernight Beat / Story
Looks like... this place... should be okay...
I wonder if Rolmo's alright...
I don't think anyone could survive falling from that height...
We've seen our fair share of death along the way, haven't we? Don't let this get to you. We're still alive. That's what matters the most.
But now the problem is... How do we get outta here...?
Those plants have completely blocked our way in, so we can't possibly go back the way we came. Now we gotta find a new way out.
And those damn plants have blocked the evacuation route. The only way out is to destroy the plants from the outside.
—If those things can even be called plants.
Let's blow those abominations straight to Hell. Normal plants can't possibly grow that fast, can they?
Kordes, you're the botanist here. What do you say?
They just look like plants. But internally, they're the same as those monsters created by the Punishing Virus.
And from the way they move... they're more like appendages rather than plants.
In other words... We can't just destroy them.
Correct. Damaging them will just release a high concentration of the Punishing Virus, which we're not equipped to deal with.
We're also running low on ammo. We'll run out of ammo before we can even put a dent in them.
We haven't even managed to scrounge up supplies either, despite the number of bodies here.
Ultimately, it was my decision to come here. My poor judgment got us into this mess.
I'll get you guys out of here. No matter what.
Zack picks up his backpack and pulls out a worn notebook and charcoal pen.
If the emergency exit is blocked off, we'll have to try to leave through the main entrance. Now that it's closed, we'll have to find the central control room and open it from there.
He quickly draws a crude map and marks several points on it.
If the structure of each filter tower is basically the same... The central control room is usually located in the middle of the tower. After all, it's in the name. But we can't use the elevator, so it's up to us.
While we were going through the previous area, I noticed that the ladder we climbed should mean we're in the lower part of the tower.
If we want to get to the stairs on the upper level, we'll have to go through this access corridor.
The Scavenger draws a long line on the map across the entire tower.
Now that we have our target, let's go.
Fish-shaped monsters with faint fluorescence roam the dark access corridor. Hiding behind the giant machinery off in the distance, the Scavengers clench their weapons instinctively.
What should we do... We have to go through here to get to the other side.
But with this many of them, we've got our work cut out for us. Even if we use all we got, we'll only hold out for half a minute.
Wanna try forcing our way through?
That's gonna be tough. Our only option is to try explosives.
Wait... Won't that blow up the corridor, too?
You underestimate the structural stability of the CPFs. It'll take a lot more than a few explosives to do that.
...Roger.
"Beardy" nods, then raises his weapon in preparation for Zack's next command. But as if suddenly thinking of something, Kordes raises his hand to stop Zack from taking out explosives from his bag.
Wait... It looks like some kind of deep-sea fish.
Zack, remember those Red Tide monsters we ran into from before? They have similar forms as animals and behave like them.
Those flying insects and scorpions...
We used fluorescent rods to attract their attention and escaped from the sewer!
Hearing this, Zack puts the explosives back in his bag and turns to look at Kordes, who's suddenly excited by the stroke of genius.
...So what do you suggest?
If those fish-like monsters also imitate the behavior of animals, they likely have the same habits as deep-sea fish.
Kordes suppresses his excitement and lowers his voice.
Because there's almost no light down in the ocean depths, many deep-sea fish have abandoned their eyes through evolution. Some fish have eyes, but they no longer work!
That is to say, they're blind. They don't use their eyes to judge the position of their prey. They locate them using sound waves.
So...
As long as we can make noise to distract their attention and cover our movement, we should be able to clear a corridor this length in about 8 seconds!
You're right.
You mean we still need this thing.
Zack smirks and grabs the explosive again.
Yes, but we need to be careful where to throw it.
How about over there?
Zack points to the energy pipeline at the fork. It is a little far from the corridor, so if it is detonated over there, the monsters on all three sides will be drawn to it. The chain reaction from igniting the pipeline should also give them some added time, allowing them to run to the other end of the corridor.
Ready?
On the count of three...
The other two nod and prepare to make a run for it.
3...
2...
1!
As soon as Zack finishes counting down, he tosses the explosive in an arc toward the predesignated location.
As soon as it lands, "Beardy" shoots it with marksman precision.
Then, with deafening sounds, the explosion of the energy pipeline causes a burst of soundwaves. The monsters that were still wandering aimlessly immediately rush toward the direction of the sound.
Run!
The light from the explosion illuminates the corridor, and the Scavengers rush forward at the moment of the explosion.
Before the end of the vibration and sound generated by the explosion, they successfully step on the platform at the other end of the corridor.
In the embers left by the explosion, the severed vines begin to connect. Red light spots extended downward along the vines.
Something has opened its eyes amid the chaos.
Not bad.
Leaning against the wall, Roland looks at the surveillance monitor and nods.
Their seamless cooperation reminds me of teams from Babylonia.
Everyone is good at some things and bad at others. But when they work together, they're more than the sum of their parts. It's enough to give you a headache.
The threat level of the Scavengers is minimal.
Hmph... It's hard to say.
You shouldn't underestimate anyone who can survive in such a hostile environment.
That Meister of yours often refers to this as "humanity's potential", no?
However, I didn't expect to lure in people who know so much about the relics of the Post-Pandemic Age.
I'm curious. How far will they make it?
What do you think, Cinderelik? Wanna make a bet?
Normally, people turn against each other at this point. Lack of supplies, disagreements, fear, anxiety, suspicion, and even emotional disputes...
...
That's meaningless. I only care about the state of "Mother".
Okay.
I expect nothing less from Gabriel's pupil. I feel like we've had this conversation before...
I thought a change of scenery would be entertaining, but it's just as boring as before.
Show me how long you can struggle. It's not every day that I get to see you acting differently. Keep me entertained for at least a while, alright?
