Chapter 187: Traces of a God
After experiencing the "divine battle" between Chang Wei, King Ghidorah, and Godzilla, and with Chang Wei no longer restraining the rampaging Titan Beasts while keeping Godzilla suppressed at the ocean floor, humanity had now gained a full understanding of what these creatures were.
Lieutenant Colonel Packard, naturally, wouldn't be as ignorant as in the original plot, blindly questioning Dr. Randa about why such monsters existed on the island.
However, precisely because he knew what Titan Beasts were, Packard decisively ordered an emergency landing to seek shelter.
In the outside world, humanity had only managed to drive the Titan Beasts away from their territories by relying on fighter jets, tanks, artillery, and warships. If not for the disappearance of both King Ghidorah and Godzilla, as well as Chang Wei's noninterference, these creatures would never have been so easily repelled.
One thing worth celebrating was that the devastation and casualties caused by the unrestrained Titan Beasts were far worse than in the original story. Dr. Emma Russell, too, perished at the hands of the very creatures she had released.
This plunged much of humanity into deep despair—falling from the top of the food chain was a bitter experience. But at the same time, it led to an overwhelming surge in faith toward Chang Wei, allowing him to surpass even the Church of the One True God.
Almost all of humanity had become his followers. Just like during the Black Death, people realized that neither God nor faith could save them.
However, unlike the past, where suffering had led to a rebirth of human spirit, the presence of Chang Wei and the Titan Beasts had instead turned them into fanatics.
"Is there nothing redeemable about the humans of this world?"
Chang Wei was somewhat disappointed. He had hoped for a grand movement akin to the one following the Black Death, which had marked the rise of the West over China.
This time, the entire human race had been affected. If they could rise above it, it would have been something to be proud of as a human himself.
But clearly, such people were nowhere to be found.
As Packard and his team fled through Skull Island, the island's unique geography made navigation impossible using a compass or electronic equipment.
The storm cut them off from the outside world completely!
Fortunately, before departing, they had already arranged for support with the fleet and the American military. In a week, a rescue team would land on the island to extract them.
"I need an explanation. Why are there Titan Beasts on this island?"
Grief-stricken over the deaths of his men, Packard grabbed Dr. Randa angrily—he was certain Randa knew something.
"Actually, we only just found out as well."
Dr. Randa quickly clarified.
"We?"
Packard caught the nuance in his words.
"Monarch. We were originally dedicated to eliminating all Titan Beasts, but now, our focus has shifted to exploring all unknown possibilities."
Randa answered cautiously.
In the original story, Monarch had sought to prove the existence of Titan Beasts. But now, they were fervently chasing traces of the "God."
The "God" was too mysterious. Before now, there had never been any record or evidence of its existence.
Given that the "God" could transform into a Titan Beast at will, it was clear that hiding itself was no challenge. But Monarch believed that instead of speculating on whether it was hiding among humans, they should first explore unexplored regions—perhaps traces of the "God" could be found there.
Thus, Skull Island—an absolute no-go zone on international flight paths—became their first target.
If there were still unexplored places on Earth, aside from the underground world theories left behind by Dr. Serizawa before his death, Skull Island was the last major candidate.
Dr. Randa was the first Monarch operative to set foot on the island. If they found nothing, the organization would simply move on to another target.
But to their surprise, the island really did house a Titan Beast!
Although there had been rumors, they had never been certain.
Now, they were.
Packard's expression darkened. After hearing Randa's explanation, he realized just how insane a situation they had been dragged into.
Had he known beforehand that a Titan Beast was here, he would never have led his men to their deaths. If they had to come, he would have at least waited for the fleet outside to move in first!
"Looks like we pissed off that big guy. How the hell are we supposed to conduct our investigation now?"
Packard sighed in frustration.
At this point, he thought it would be wiser to head to the extraction point and wait for reinforcements before making any further decisions.
That Titan Beast… for some reason, it gave Packard an ominous feeling.
Not the usual intimidation of a Titan, but a presence akin to that of King Ghidorah and Godzilla—supremely dominant and untouchable.
"We'll have to wait for another chance."
Even Dr. Randa had to concede to the group's unanimous decision. None of the expedition members wanted to die.
Right now, humanity's fear of Titan Beasts was stronger than ever.
However, before they could leave, they got lost in the forest and stumbled upon a tribe of native islanders.
"There are actually humans living here?"
War photographer Mason Weaver exclaimed in surprise.
"Humanity has spread across the world; it's never surprising to find people in unexpected places."
Dr. Randa replied calmly.
Thanks to the natives' hospitality, they found temporary shelter.
Before long, however, Dr. Randa made an unexpected discovery—wall paintings inside the village.
"These murals…?"
His reaction drew everyone's attention. By now, they all understood Monarch's true motives.
And then they saw it.
The murals depicted the "God"—as well as the enormous ape they had encountered today.
Interestingly, the ape in the murals had only two arms instead of four. And there were actually two of them, not one. The murals also featured strange creatures resembling Skullcrawlers.
They then saw a scene of the Skullcrawlers attacking the two apes. The "God" appeared to be rescuing a young ape, while the two larger ones lay on the ground, seemingly dead.
"As expected, we've found records of the God here!"
Dr. Randa was ecstatic.
Compared to dry textual descriptions, images were far more convincing!
This was precisely why Chang Wei refused to engage with humanity—he believed it would diminish his mystique.
"What did it do to the young ape?"
The murals continued, showing the black-winged figure seemingly performing some sort of action on the small ape.