Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Stupidity is Human
(Editor's note: as usual, thank you for following my story. feel free to add comments or gifs "related to the story" ^^ I'm specifying because someone has already made the joke on me. enjoy reading)
I am surprised to discover that the Leech zombie can take on the appearance of other organisms. I could use this new ability to more easily infiltrate various places in the future. However, the conditions for copying another organism remain to be seen. If it requires the body of the individual, it will greatly reduce its usefulness.
I quickly take the door on my left and come across one of them. I shudder as I quickly touch it with my hand, disgusted by the contact, and absorb it into my factory.
"System, what did I gain for this capture?" I asked to check my gains.
The host has gained 150 leeches
At least I am increasing the number of leeches I have I thought as I looked around.
It's a surveillance room, doubled as a room to store film strips but all the shelves are degraded making the strips useless.
I'm happy to see that most of the images from the surveillance terminal are gray with a big "No Signal" message, a sign that the camera connected to this screen is out of order. Looking, I see a lever that I take directly because it seems to me that it is used for a workbench a little further.
I enter the room, discovering a dark and deserted bar, lit only by the weak light filtering through the dusty windows. The tables are arranged in a disorderly fashion, some overturned, with abandoned chairs around them.
My eyes fall on the shelves behind the counter, where a variety of bottles are lined up. I browse the selection, my fingers sliding over the dusty labels. Among them, I spot a bottle of Jack Daniels Tennessee Sinatra Edition, a high quality collector's item. I grab it, hoping to find some momentary solace in this grim place.
I remove the cap and take several sips of the amber liquid, but the taste makes me wince. It seems that preservation is not their strong point here, as the whiskey tastes sour and rancid, far from the exquisite experience I was expecting. I spit the degraded liquid onto the dusty floor.
However, I realize that even if the whiskey is spoiled, its flammable potential remains intact. I decide to grab all the bottles of hard liquor I can find and store them in my trunk. Their usefulness as incendiary weapons could prove invaluable in the fights to come.
My gaze then falls on a piano, a majestic but intimidating instrument for someone like me who does not know how to play it. But I remember that it is supposed to open a wall so I inspect the room before seeing an unnatural crack.
Without hesitation, I grab my most battered sword and use it as leverage to force open the hidden passage.
I force open the hidden door, expecting to find a secret passage, but I am greeted by a dark cellar. The walls are lined with shelves containing a selection of red wines and spirits. However, the condition of the bottles does not inspire confidence. Dust has accumulated on the labels, testifying to prolonged neglect.
Despite this, I spot a battery at the back of the cellar. I grab it as a precaution, even though I am no longer sure of its purpose. In this kind of situation, it is best to be cautious. I do not want to risk having to turn back because I forgot to pick up something important.
As the saying goes, "Ten men with bare hands against a beast are not worth one man with a gun." Even though I have superhuman abilities, I'm not going to turn down a facility when it presents itself. (Ed: no need to look it up, I made up this proverb ^^)
I walk out of the room, my heart pounding, when Rebecca and Billy appear out of nowhere. Their sudden appearance makes me jump.
"You almost gave me a heart attack," I say, regaining my senses, noticing the strange look the two are giving me. "What's wrong, do I have something on my face?"
"Officer King, you're really impressive," Billy says, his gaze filled with admiration.
"Gerald, let us help you. I don't want you to die facing all these monsters alone," Rebecca says, hugging me as if I were going to leave and never come back.
"Did you come across the corpses of the critters I shot?" I ask. Billy nods while Rebecca doesn't release her embrace. I pat her back, trying to comfort the young girl who is surely close to a psychological collapse.
Contrary to what I may have thought, these two are real people with feelings, fears, and personalities of their own.
"Don't worry so much. I'm the most adept in exploratory situations and so far, I think I'm doing pretty well," I say, trying to reassure them.
"Rebecca, if I go first into the corners of this complex full of monsters, it's mainly to prevent you from getting hurt."
"I know, Gerald, but I don't want anything bad to happen to you because you wanted to protect me," the girl says, her gaze filled with barely veiled sadness.
"I'll tell you something to comfort you, I did the same thing I did to you and Billy for Edward, but since I didn't know if it would work, I put him on a tree near the train so for the moment, no one has died in the Bravo team to my knowledge"
Her gaze becomes watery as she begins to cry with joy at the news I give her. I put my hand in her hair smiling before continuing.
"There are creatures born from leeches, so use the acid grenade cartridges to take care of them if you encounter one."
I leave the corridor towards the unexplored door. "He really is a remarkable soldier", announces Billy while looking at the officer's back, which seems to him like an indestructible bulwark protecting his life and that of Rebecca.
"Yes, I'm glad he stopped his infiltration to join us. Otherwise, we would have already died," she said as she entered the room Gerald had left.
I came across a small corridor with two doors, I took the one on the right before coming across two zombies dressed as soldiers, or rather the uniform of Umbrella mercenaries. I easily smashed the heads of these two zombies before taking the vest of one of these two dead.
I took the zombies' weapons but their glocks were unusable. However, I recovered 5 magazines in the cabinet on the side as well as rifle ammunition.
I equipped myself with a submachine gun that I had taken from the Umbrella soldier on the train to shoot a little since my batons were starting to show signs of wear. They were not made to break skulls normally, at least not with the force I used.
I looked around the room before noticing the jammed workbench. I quickly use the crowbar I had retrieved to free it, then I glance at the obedience plaque on the table before exiting.
Suddenly, I hear a shrill scream. "AHHH, Billy, help me!" Rebecca screams, followed by a powerful gunshot.
I rush out to see a decapitated Leech Zombie that has grabbed Rebecca, while Billy has probably ripped its head off with a gunshot.
"Billy, back off!" I yell as I grab the creature to remove it from Rebecca's grip. I throw it at the other door which opens under the impact, while several Leeches come charging at us again.
"Shoot!" I shouted as I quickly emptied my gun into the creatures, followed by Rebecca and Billy.
We took down about fifty of them before the others turned back. The room was filled with tense silence as we caught our breath, our bodies still on alert.
"Thanks for the help, Gerald" Rebecca told me with a smile. "By the way, we found an observatory with slots to put plates like that, you need three" she said showing me the one I had left in the basement.
I pointed behind me before smiling "there's one in this room and I think the last one must be outside, I thought I saw something when I came in from the forest." I said with a smile before leaving the two together.
I headed straight for the observatory to see if I could beat them to it and get more little creatures for myself.
After going through the door to retrace my steps, I quickly run towards the end of the corridor before returning near the place where I faced the centurion. I go up the stairs to arrive in front of 15 Plague Crawlers as well as two Chimeras.
"Where did you come from, you bunch of bastards!" I shout before machine-gunning the large cockroaches while dodging the two Chimeras.
The Plague Crawlers advance quickly towards me, their legs waving in the air. The two Chimeras roar, their fangs shining menacingly.
I empty a magazine, taking care to aim at the heads of all these insects. The Plague Crawlers fall one by one, their bodies crushed under the fire of my weapon.
The two Chimeras get dangerously close. I kick one of them against a wall before rolling to the side to avoid the attack of the other. Taking advantage of its proximity, I grab the Chimera from behind and crush it violently to the ground to capture it.
DING
T virus mutation detected, or Chimera detected absorption will take 10 seconds. The time will be reduced by 5 seconds due to the bonus on T virus mutations. The time will be reduced by 5 seconds due to the significant injuries suffered.
10, 0
T Virus Mutation or Chimera successfully absorbed available in the factory, major genetic correction in progress. gene rectification and reassembly into a viable biological weapon.
Flyman genome corrected, Micro eyes implanted on the head to provide 360 degree vision. Pair of retractable wings offered and adhesives on the feet and hands to be able to cling to the surface.
1 flyman will be produced every 12 hours. You have 5 flymen directly in the factory.
You will be able to instantly master any Chimera in order to make it a flyman under your control with a simple touch.
I summon him to see and he looks like Shaupfufu from Hunter x Hunter, but without the majestic wings of a butterfly, only the wings of flies. I can't see the famous micro-eyes, even when looking closely, so he can be used easily, except for his intelligence.
The second flyman I summoned is similar, with identical wings, but slightly larger. Their eyes shine with a curious glow, scanning their surroundings with singular attention.
These creatures are strangely fascinating. Despite their unconventional appearance, they have a certain grace, a strange beauty and a mysterious aura.
I send them out to explore the air to monitor the surroundings and warn me if they spot other living people. To make sure they understand my instructions, I send a Zombie G with them, lifted by the two flymen.
I go to the observatory, but I look around carefully. "It just leads to the chapel where I dealt with Blood. Is there another way?" I wondered quietly as I went around the observatory to return to the chapel, using my homemade grappling hook to move quickly.
I carefully scanned the area around the chapel and saw an elevator. By smashing the metal door behind it, I discovered the switch.
"But what an idiot, I could have gone straight through if I had searched a little," I mumbled, hitting my forehead. "No, I did the right thing. I recovered quite a few critters, some of them quite powerful, in addition to helping Rebecca and Billy. So a blessing in disguise," I reassured myself as I pressed the elevator button before entering.
The elevator went deep underground, as I got out, I saw a corridor with a collapsed staircase, I simply entered the only available exit. I saw a note on the table but it was not useful.
A man is collapsed on the ground so I kick him crushing his head on the wall to avoid any unnecessary inconvenience before seeing a hole leading upstairs. I jump 5 meters, easily hoisting myself into the opening.
I see a sleep version of Marcus that I touch to collect another hundred leeches before seeing a map of the laboratory.
I methodically collect all the leech zombies that I come across so three so far.
Ding
You have acquired more than 1000 "Leech" creatures, possibility of reinforcement detected.
Do you want to halve the reproduction time of the "Leech": cost 1000 leeches.
Do you want to improve the overall capacities of the "Leech" by two: cost 1000 leeches.
I will soon come across a lot of nests with the queen so speed is not a problem
"I choose the global reinforcement." I say to the system.
Choice accepted. Deduction of 1000 leeches, remaining leeches: 163
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone