Chapter 203: Monster Factory! Incubation Vats! The Metallic Hive!
As the tremors of Axhead's earth-shaking footsteps drew closer to the Astartes warriors' location, their heart rates began to rise.
Boom—!
At that moment, a massive, rough-textured leg with blue markings appeared before them. Axhead was passing right by their position.
Roar!
A deep, resonant growl rumbled from Axhead's throat, sending powerful sound waves that made the surrounding ruins tremble ever so slightly.
Watching this unfold, V's brow furrowed instinctively. If this behemoth noticed them, they would have no choice but to abort their investigation.
Worse still, they could suffer casualties!
Against such an overwhelming size advantage, even the Astartes warriors—each standing at a formidable 2.5 meters tall—could not engage a towering monster of dozens of meters in direct combat.
Their Mark X power armor was sturdy, but not indestructible. If Axhead's massive foot came crashing down on them, even if the armor held, the internal systems could suffer catastrophic failure.
Holding his breath instinctively, V hoped the beast would pass without detecting them. Fortunately, Axhead didn't seem to notice anything unusual.
After scanning the area with its piercing gaze, the colossal creature simply continued forward.
The ground tremors gradually weakened as Axhead moved away, until finally, they ceased altogether.
"Phew—!"
"Damn, that thing is terrifying. Looks even scarier than me."
"Good thing it has terrible eyesight. If it had spotted us, we'd be in deep trouble!"
As soon as Axhead had moved out of range, the Astartes warriors breathed a collective sigh of relief, grumbling over the comms.
It wasn't that they feared death.
They simply didn't want the mission to fail because of an unexpected encounter with a giant beast. To them, failure was a fate far worse than death.
"Enough chatter. Move forward!"
V's voice cut through their conversation, bringing them back to the mission at hand. Without hesitation, the squad left the ruins.
They were getting closer to their target.
Before long, the Astartes warriors arrived at the colossal structure built by the Precursors. From this vantage point, they could now discern additional details.
The strange, viscous green liquid they had seen earlier was being secreted by vine-like "plants."
This liquid appeared to serve a dual purpose: acting as an adhesive to hold the massive structure together while also functioning as a nutrient delivery system. The plants' roots were interconnected, both inside and out!
Under V's command, one of the Astartes warriors retrieved a sample extractor and collected some of the liquid and plant material.
Once the investigation was complete, these samples would be sent to the Biotech Division of the MegaCorp for further study by engineers.
"Reed, your team will remain outside to keep watch. I'll lead a squad inside to investigate."
After ensuring that the samples were collected, V relayed new orders to Reed's B-Team via his helmet's internal comms.
"Understood!"
Reed didn't protest or display any eagerness to enter the structure. He simply acknowledged the command with firm resolve.
The rest of B-Team shared his disciplined attitude—calm, silent, and focused.
Moments later, the B-Team members took up positions outside the structure, maintaining vigilance for any external threats while standing by to relay information to A-Team inside.
Meanwhile, V, Jack, and twenty-six others swiftly infiltrated the building.
It was immediately apparent that the Precursors' architectural approach was highly reminiscent of an ant colony—an intricate, multifunctional maze that maximized spatial efficiency.
Every inch of space served a purpose!
As they progressed through the structure, V decided against splitting the team into smaller units to minimize the risk of being picked off by enemy forces. Instead, they moved as a single cohesive group.
Two warriors at the front used advanced imaging devices to map out an optimal path forward.
Before long, they arrived at a spacious chamber—where they were met with a shocking sight.
Countless cylindrical incubation vats stretched across the room, each containing embryonic monsters of varying forms.
"Is this… the Precursors' beast-breeding facility? A monster factory?"
Jack Wells, visibly disturbed, had never seen such an elaborate living organism production center before—not even in MegaCorp's cloning factories.
But cloned humans were no more than assembly-line products—noses, eyes, limbs, all manufactured separately and pieced together. Their thoughts, hobbies, and emotions were pre-programmed.
These embryonic beasts, however, represented an entirely different level of biological engineering—far beyond the capabilities of any cloning technology.
V's sharp eyes quickly spotted a figure nearby—a 3.65-meter-tall Precursor with a red crest atop its head.
It was most likely the administrator of this facility!
"Precursor…!"
V whispered a warning, signaling the team to remain silent and avoid detection.
Stealthily, they moved into concealed positions, forming an overlapping crossfire network, and awaited further orders.
The Precursor was facing away from them, busy working at what appeared to be a holographic control panel. It was marking various data points, likely modifying genetic sequences or synthesizing new monster variants.
V activated his tactical helmet's recording function, capturing the Precursor's appearance and uploading it to the headquarters.
As he observed, he noted its distinct aquatic-insect-like form—semi-transparent wings, a shell-like body, and even visible internal organs.
Despite its tall and slender frame, it didn't appear physically formidable.
Against the battle-hardened Astartes, this Precursor wouldn't stand a chance—even in a five-against-one scenario.
Soon, the Precursor retrieved a transparent incubation vial from a nearby console.
Examining the embryo inside, it seemed satisfied with its development. Placing the vial back down, the Precursor then left the room, heading elsewhere.
V and his team waited patiently until they were certain it was gone. Then, they resumed their investigation, swiftly gathering biological samples.
They captured detailed footage of nearly every incubation vat and took several vials containing embryonic specimens.
V, meanwhile, approached the control panel where the Precursor had been working.
Among the various containers, he picked up the vial the Precursor had handled earlier.
And then—
"Is this… a human?"
V's scalp tingled as he stared at the embryo inside.
It had distinct human features—head, eyes, mouth—all unmistakably human.
A surge of disgust and anger welled up inside him. Without hesitation, he drew his combat knife.
Squelch!
A sharp blade punctured the vial, releasing a stream of greenish, highly corrosive fluid.
"These creatures… they're all silicon-based lifeforms?!"
Jack Wells was stunned. Anything that could survive in such a corrosive nutrient solution had to be fundamentally different from carbon-based life.
"Most likely."
V remained composed. His power armor protected him from the acidic liquid, so he was unfazed.
He continued recording footage of the humanoid monster embryo before flicking his knife clean and sheathing it.
"Those Precursor bastards are using human genes to create these monstrosities."
V scanned the monster factory's numerous vats. Many of these creatures had traits resembling Earth's fauna—while others bore entirely foreign characteristics.
"If that's the case… the Precursors' genetic database must contain a vast collection of alien DNA."
Jack's eyes lit up as he grasped the implications.
If MegaCorp could harness this data, they could create their own genetically-engineered monster armies—perfect shock troops and expendable labor!
"Our findings here are invaluable. We're done. Time to leave."
V wasted no time.
"All units, commence extraction! B-Team, prepare for Evac!"
Reed's confirmation came instantly.
[Acknowledged.]
Without delay, the Astartes warriors withdrew from Precursor territory, regrouping at their drop zone.
The waiting Stormhawk gunship swiftly took them aboard.
Before anything else, both teams underwent decontamination procedures to prevent alien pathogens from spreading.
Then, they uploaded all collected data to the front-line command and the Multiverse Base.
Mission complete.
At this very moment, high above a human city in Antarctica, several airships belonging to a megacorporation swiftly soared across the sky.
The once vast and Infinity glaciers had long since melted into a boundless ocean due to the intensifying effects of global warming.
The polluted sky and sea carried chemical toxins and wastewater, while the scarce land was dominated by towering metal cities, occasionally emitting thick plumes of industrial smoke.
"This is Team Mann. We have arrived over Antarctica. The mountains here are lush and green, resembling the Scandinavian landscapes of the Glåmben range."
Inside the cockpit of the Skyhawk shuttle, Mann continuously reported the situation to headquarters through the communications system.
As the shuttle flew closer to the human city below, Mann observed the towering walls of the city, which appeared to be at least 300 meters tall.
The thickness of the walls was equally astonishing, reaching around 70 to 80 meters, with massive plasma pulse cannons mounted at various points along the top.
Additionally, countless defensive bunkers and mobile sentry posts surrounded the city, forming a layered defensive perimeter that was practically impregnable.
"This city is an engineering marvel of humanity. No wonder the colossal beasts haven't managed to break through yet. With walls this thick and cannons this powerful, taking down this fortress would be no easy feat."
As Mann continued reporting his observations, the shuttle pilot adjusted the reconnaissance focus to the city's lower regions.
Antarctica harbored an abundance of valuable resources—vast reserves of iron ore and coal, along with significant amounts of uncontaminated freshwater.
It was precisely these resources that allowed humanity to cling to survival in Antarctica, continuing their struggle against the Precursor civilization.
Below the shuttle, heavy-duty trucks constantly moved in and out of the mines and production zones surrounding the city.
To keep production running at full capacity and sustain human civilization, these trucks operated almost non-stop, 24 hours a day.
[Commander, our operatives have successfully infiltrated the Antarctic city. The mission is proceeding as planned!]
A voice transmission from the ground came through—it was Cory.
Not long ago, Leader Reed, who was originally assigned to this Antarctic reconnaissance mission, had been reassigned by "V" to investigate the Precursor-controlled territories.
Thus, this mission had fallen to another team.
Fortunately, Cory, Steve, and Bruce—three recruits from the Astartes battalion—had yet to undergo organ augmentation, making them less conspicuous.
Mann had taken advantage of this and sent them to infiltrate the city.
Clinging to the undercarriage of heavy trucks, Cory and his team successfully bypassed security and entered the city unnoticed.
Now, hidden in a remote corner of the city, Cory was reporting the latest situation to Mann in the sky.
"Good. Proceed with the mission."
Satisfied that everything was going according to plan, Mann allowed a small smile. These veterans from parallel Earth were proving to be quite resourceful.
They had actually managed to sneak in!
Meanwhile, on the ground, Cory had just finished assembling his disassembled Kontor Smart G-58 submachine gun. Staying alert, he surveyed his surroundings with his squad.
"Boss, I think we're in the industrial sector. Look around—it's either towering factory walls or massive exhaust stacks."
Steve scanned the area and reported, "If we want to gather intel in a more populated area, we'll need to move further in."
Steve's assessment was reasonable. Cory, having also noted the city's layout, glanced westward.
In the distance, towering skyscrapers stretched skyward, while aerial tramways zipped through the semi-open spaces of the city.
The scene bore a resemblance to the metropolis of Ideal City, but this place was clearly more cramped—almost like a sprawling metallic "hive city."
Seeing his squad ready to move, Cory issued his next command:
"Alright, everyone. Our priority is to secure a temporary base and then send out members in shifts to gather intelligence for headquarters."
"I suggest we head to the residential zones first."
Cory was confident in this decision because, paradoxically, residential areas had the least security presence.
In contrast, the industrial and production sectors were heavily guarded by fully armed security forces. If they tried to extract information from the guards, they'd likely end up in detention.
Blending into the chaotic residential areas, however, would give them a better chance of obtaining valuable intelligence.
"Got it, boss! We're with you!"
With Steve and Bruce voicing their support, the rest of the squad nodded in agreement.
After reaching a consensus, the team activated their stealth gear and swiftly navigated between the factory buildings, making their way toward the residential district.
Meanwhile, high above in the Skyhawk shuttle, Mann continuously provided real-time navigation, helping them Evade surveillance zones and patrol units.
[Listen up, the oxygen levels here in Antarctica are slightly better than in other regions, but the CO₂ and ammonia levels are still dangerous. Keep your protective gear on.]
[Look at the guards and workers around you—they're sealed up like walking iron barrels. Stay cautious.]
Mann's voice crackled through their comms.
"Roger that!"
As they advanced toward the residential zone, Cory took note of the industrial district's technological advancements.
He observed massive engineering mechs assisting with cargo transport and aerial drones ferrying supply crates.
Compared to Inferno Earth, it seemed that the technological level of Pacific Rim Earth was more advanced.
In fact, intelligence reports from the megacorporations had already indicated this.
Under constant pressure from the Precursor civilization, human technology in this world had advanced rapidly.
Breakthroughs in plasma weaponry and superconductive materials had been achieved and implemented in city defenses.
Perhaps it was this desperate struggle for survival that had pushed scientific teams to work tirelessly, making each minor achievement a lifeline for humanity.
Recognizing this, even the Precursor had slowed their attacks, opting instead for alternative strategies—such as creating gene slaves that resembled humans!
After three hours of maneuvering, Cory's team finally reached the transition zone between the industrial and residential districts.
For the first time, they could observe the daily lives of the people in this metal hive city.
The environment had a distinct wasteland cyberpunk aesthetic—massive apartment blocks towering over a labyrinth of narrow streets lined with neon signs advertising synthetic food.
Shops bore names like "Charcoal-Grilled Sewer Rat", "Lanzhou Ramen", and "Stir-Fried Cockroach & Earthworm Jerky", drawing a steady stream of customers.
Of course, the world's oldest profession remained thriving even in these desperate times—especially in an era where civilization teetered on the brink.
Cory ignored the lurid pink neon signs and instead analyzed the crowd.
From their attire and conversations, he deduced that most were industrial workers, while others were local residents or outsiders from different zones.
"It seems society here is still functioning—at least, their economy hasn't completely collapsed. They can still run businesses, after all."
Cory mused aloud.
Human civilization depended on a functional economy and social stability.
Economic growth was the fundamental driver behind all human activities. Without it, people would cease working, cease creating value, and civilization itself would stagnate.
Observing the dense flow of people, the thriving black markets, and the packed residential towers, Cory was confident there would be no security forces conducting routine checks here.
That worked to their advantage—it meant they could operate freely while gathering intelligence.
"Boss, should we rest for a bit?" Steve asked.
"No. Keep moving."
With that, Cory and his squad ventured deeper into the residential-commercial zone.
Here, the urban layout was even denser, with crisscrossing walkways and platforms resembling the vertical architecture of Chongqing.
The presence of casinos, bars, and brothels marked the transition into the city's entertainment sector.
But Cory had no interest in leisure. Instead, he split the team up, assigning them to gather intel while he and a few others observed the crowd.
Before long, Cory noticed illegal drug deals, underground gambling, forced prostitution, and violent debt collection—each tied to the unrelenting flow of money.
Even in a post-apocalyptic world, currency remained king.
"Steve, Bruce—did you notice? Black-market drugs, liquor, and meat are the real currency here."
"I think we can use these resources to loosen some tongues."
At that moment, Cory had a fully formed intelligence-gathering plan.
No matter the era, humanity was always driven by the exchange of benefits.
He immediately relayed his idea to Mann.
Before long, Mann's response arrived:
[Understood. I'll prepare the supplies for you immediately. The drop point will be marked on your display shortly.]
...