Chapter 790: Drawn In By The Battle, Another Group Of Enemies After The Parasites (1/2)

Day 197 - 3:51 PM - Southern Outskirts, New Infanta Settlement, Infanta, Province of Quezon

Far behind the frontline, inside the newly constructed walls, General Faustino, who retreated first with the tired scouts, was listening to the reports on the radio with a grim expression.

With the loud sounds of gunshots far outside the walls, General Faustino knew that the situation had gone from bad to worse.

The members of the scout squad were also in dismay as they heard the report of the sudden deaths of many of their comrades. Being scouts, they should have investigated more about the creature even if it put their lives in danger.

By what it looked like, General Faustino's plan to leave landmines to disable the creature became the trigger for the current situation to happen. However, the plan was formulated with the scout squad's initial reports. If there was someone to take the blame for this failure, it was the scout squad.

While the scout squad thought of taking the blame, General Faustino thought otherwise. It was not like the scout squad did anything outside the protocol. In the first place, no one would have thought that the situation would end up like this. He also saw the creature from afar, and if he was with the scout squad, he might have given the same report.

If there was something to blame in this, it was the goddamn source of all this mess, [Mutagen].

[Mutagen] had no specific effect or line of mutation to follow. It made everything a pandora box for anyone still surviving in this chaotic world.

”Major! These things are not dying!”

A desperate call from the radio was heard by General Faustino and the others, clearly asking for further instructions from Major Bautista that led the soldiers in the field.

***

In the area of the battle, the soldiers were desperately trying to push the enemies back. However, as they already knew, these parasites did not seem to be dying at all.

No, the soldiers actually managed to blow up many of the parasites using grenades. Their bullets were also able to tear the bodies of the parasites piece by piece.

But why did it feel that the parasites were not dying at all?

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Another volley of grenades being thrown caused a cluster of explosions in front of the soldiers.

More of the parasites were blown to pieces.

But as the smoke from the explosions dissipated, they could see larger parasites approaching them.

Yes, larger.

As it appeared, after the parasites in front were blown up, the parasites behind would continue to charge forward. Along their way, their sticky bodies would pass by the pieces of their dead kin. Those pieces of parasites would then stick to the passing ones, getting absorbed in their bodies making them appear to grow.

And those large parasites could be torn into two or more large pieces by the bullets, with each piece still alive and creating more parasites to restore their number.

Of course, the parasites could not keep their numbers the same. It was because the explosions would pulverize parts of the parasites into smithereens that could not be absorbed anymore.

Nonetheless, with how this was going, it would be hard to say whether the soldiers would be able to kill all the parasites before they ran out of explosives and bullets.

Furthermore, they could see parasitized dead soldiers began to undergo mutation. Their bodies were becoming similar to the appearance of the previous host, being flesh-covered creatures donned with many fleshy tentacles.

Before everyone's eyes, the bodies of their dead comrades were becoming parasitic nests. If left alone, they might end up increasing the number of the already hard-to-deal parasites.

With the difficult situation they were facing, a question came from Alana.

”Uncle,” Alana called out to Major Bautista. ”Does the settlement have extra gasoline to spare?”

”Gasoline?”

Major Bautista was confused at first at the sudden question, but as his eyes fell unto the parasites, he immediately understood Alana's inquiry.

”General!” Major Bautista called out to his radio. ”We need gasoline, A.S.A.P!”

At the other line of the radio, there was no reply. What Major Bautista could hear was General Faustino's voice, immediately ordering the available soldiers. There was no need to question the major's request. The general already understood and moved without hesitation.

”Men! Just hold on a bit more!”

Major Bautista shouted, also firing his gun up from the watchtower

Everyone heard Major Bautista's request through the radio. And there was no doubt that setting these pesky parasites on fire could be the answer to this dilemma.

The low morale of the soldiers was rising as they formed their defensive lines firmer.

”That's a good suggestion, Alana.”

Major Bautista complimented Alana. The latter did not reply, however, as it was not really her own idea.

Just a little more time and they would win this.

But it seemed that luck was not on their side.

”Major! There are suspicious movements at nine o'clock!”

A soldier that was in charge of monitoring the battle shouted.

And to their surprise, the suspicious movement was far from the direction of the parasites they were currently fighting.

Major Bautista stopped firing his gun and turned in the direction of the reported movement. It was an area still heavily covered in trees and bushes. And yes, those bushes were moving strangely.

SHING!

The source of suspicious movements stepped out of the bushes, violently cutting the leaves.

Major Bautista's expression turned even more serious than earlier.

”[Mechids] incoming at nine o'clock!”

Major Bautista yelled out on his radio.

The sudden turn of events made the soldiers perplexed. It was not a good time for [Mechids] to suddenly appear.

Furthermore, there was not only one or two [Mechids]. There were five of them moving out of the cluster of bushes and trees. One looked like a walking metallic jellyfish, with a rounded body and four elongated limbs. Two were humanoids having two legs and arms, but one had its left arm being a long blade. The other humanoid appeared to be equipped with some sort of gun on its shoulders. As for the last two, they were both animal types, being quadruped but having a model different from any animal on Earth.

It seemed that they were drawn in by the sounds of the battle. And unlike the [Infected] or [Failed Mutators], not all [Mechids] attack or charge towards the things that drew their attention.

Like what was happening now, the [Mechids] seemed to be still in a scouting state. They had yet to see the soldiers, nor the parasites.

But here, a voice entered Major Bautista's ear.