Chapter 651 - The Tricky Monster, Finding the Weakness of the Hellish Amalgamation (1/2)

Day 147 - 9:11 PM - Port Area, Catanduanes Settlement, Codon, San Andres, Catanduanes

Along the walls overseeing the port area, the soldiers watched the spectacle happening at the gulf. The infected mysteriously retreated. The only thing the soldiers could do now was to observe the battle between two people and a gigantic monster.

Of course, they could try and shoot the infected that were still in sight before they reenter the waters. However, the General already ordered to cease firing. If the infected were retreating, let them be, and the settlement should not incur unnecessary aggression from them.

Still, it was imperative that no one should let their guards down. In this kind of situation, no one knew what could happen.

That was why everyone that could had to pay attention to the battle above the sea.

And to say, everyone had very complex emotions at this scene.

***

Fear

What if that gigantic abomination came and attacked the settlement? Would the walls even hold for a second? No, it would instantly fall, without a doubt.

There was not even a chance to think about it.

There was no need to think about resisting.

Even if they deployed all of their explosives and blew everything up altogether, there was no assurance that they would win.

Even if it did, there was no future to be seen for the settlement.

Only explosives could damage highly mutated infected and a lot of evolved animals. Using up all their explosives would cause the settlement to face destruction sooner or later.

But that was if the settlement itself managed to go unscathed by the intensity of explosion needed to eliminate that thing.

Definitely not. There was no way that they would win or even have a good ending.

***

However, despite the fear, there was also...

***

Relief

Those in the know felt relieved that, whatever that abomination was, it was a [Leader Type] Infected.

If that gigantic amalgamation of bodies attacked the settlement directly, it would have fallen immediately. However, it did not and would not.

Among the infected, there was a nature that was quite unique to [Leader Types].

It was, no matter what their abilities were or what size they had, [Leader Type] Infected tend to stay either behind or at the center of their horde. This type of infected would not move and attack unless certain conditions were met.

The first condition was if the [Leader Type] was under a stronger and more intelligent one. It could be another [Leader Type], a [Parasitic Type], a [Breeder Type] or maybe, the rumored [Monarch Types].

The second was when their horde was already wiped out or on the verge of collapse. Without other infected to command, the [Leader Type] would start attacking by itself. On the other hand, more intelligent [Leader Types] would likely flee when that happened.

And the third condition they knew was if the [Leader Type] was f.o.r.c.i.b.l.y dragged out of hiding. This condition could happen if [Leader Type] was identified and was attacked directly, incurring its rage in the process or if it was lured out by any means possible.

As it appeared to be, the third condition was fulfilled by Mark, luring the [Leader Type] out of hiding. None of the soldiers knew what he did, though.

Another thing that made them feel relieved that it was Mark that lured it out and not them. Who knows what would happen if it was them that forced it to come ashore.

Even Andrew, who was shouting to find the [Leader Type] earlier, could only stay silent after finally seeing what he wanted to kill.

And despite the fear and relief, there was also...

***

Amazement

The people were amazed as to how Mark and Mei could confront that frightening creature face to face.

It did not matter that the two were capable of flight. It was because that alone would not give anyone the confidence or bravery to stand in front of that terrifying thing.

Even if they were capable of flight, they were unsure whether they could muster the courage. There was no need to say just having two people. Even if there were dozens of them, they would not have the guts at all.

There was no way they would try to face a being that was as tall as a building with their weak human bodies.

And yet, Mark and Mei were there, circling around the body of that infected and cutting off its disgusting tentacles.

And with that amazement, then came...

***

Envy

If they could fly like Mark and Mei and had the courage to face such an abomination, maybe, they would be the ones everyone was watching.

Maybe, they were the ones receiving everyone's admiration.

And yet, here they were, standing atop the walls with shaking knees.

Wishing and praying that that creature would just vanish and leave this settlement alone.

With meager abilities and very little courage, the only thing they could boast here was their cowardly will to survive.

***

Back at the gulf, Mark could only frown seeing how the infected returned to the sea.

Of course, there was absolutely no way that they were retreating. They were called by this [Leader Type] for a single reason.

And without a doubt, it was to forcefully enlarge its body further. Without a doubt, it realized that it would not be able to catch Mark at its current state. It might have thought that if it had a larger body, it would also become powerful. At the same time, it would replace the bodies that it discarded because of Mark's attacks. It was desperate to catch Mark to the extent that it widened the scope of its control, including the infected at the west side of the settlement.

”What a troublesome guy.”

Mark murmured.

If it was like this, whitling away its body would take quite a while doing it manually.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

Several tentacles shot towards Mark's group, forcing everyone to get out of the way.