Chapter 605.2: Biotic Armor

Chapter 605.2: Biotic Armor

The moment his back touched the biomass armor, tendrils slithered across his body.

Sharp connectors pierced his flesh, countless fine cilia entwining with every nerve.

“ARGHHHH!”

The sudden agony wrenched a roar from him. His eyes were bloodshot and wide, muscles convulsing as if thousands of volts were running through him.

The pain dwarfed any cybernetic surgery a hundredfold, something was being forced inside him, while his own flesh seeped into it.

First the nerves fused, then the blood, then all of him.

Gaen felt as though he were back in some chaotic womb, an invisible umbilical cord binding him to the meat encasing him.

When he opened his eyes again, he no longer felt his old body. His consciousness was wholly inside a new shell, a stronger shell!

Clenching his fists, cracks and pops rippled through his arms. Every cell seemed to cheer with ecstasy.

Exhilarated, he flexed the wings on his back. A gale blasted outward, sending his discarded fur coat flying. Gomo and his underlings instinctively stepped back.

Gomo’s murky eyes gleamed, a flicker of fanaticism rising as he watched Gaen being reborn.

The road had been fraught with danger, but a stronger being stood before him. The sacrifices had not been wasted.

Gaen looked down at Gomo, satisfaction glinting in his amber eyes. “Tell me, how were those winged ones made? Can the Torch Church make more?”

Gomo lowered his gaze, speaking reverently.

“Like Goliath, they are bred from young Mutant Humans. Production is far less than you imagine... but given time, they can forge you an unstoppable air force.”

Gaen frowned. “And this armor?”

“It’s similar, but there are some additions,” Gomo admitted vaguely. Truth be told, he was unsure about what it actually was.

But that was enough for Gaen. His eyes lit with sudden realization, then joy.

So that was why the armor felt familiar, it carried their bloodline.

Something felt off, but he didn’t care.

All that mattered was strength!

“HAAAAAAAAH!” He bellowed with his wings spreading wide, gusts blasting outward.

The Mutant Humans around him shrank back in terror except Gomo, who watched with burning devotion.

In their tanks, the winged ones opened their eyes. As they shrieked, they trashed at the glass until they burst free, dripping in strange fluids and feral.

It was hard to imagine those creatures had begun as infant Mutant Humans.

But just as Gaen thought, the details didn’t matter.

Staring at the snarling beasts, he grinned cruelly. “... The time for revenge has come!”

...

At the same time, kilometers away on top of an office tower, the elder who was clad in an exoskeleton opened his eyes.

He heard the shrill roar riding the wind, the surge hidden in the fog.

The Torch Church’s bioweapons had finally awakened.

Led by one beast, the fanged horde charged toward the iron giant.

Soon, it would all end.

Luo Qian’s fate no longer mattered. Nothing would stop the descent of the Kingdom of Heaven over the Brocade River Province.

Looking toward the airship, Arzu’s lips curved in a cold sneer. “Parasites gorging on old relics... Instead of rebuilding utopia, enlightening the ignorant, you steer backward into Prosperity Era decay. Just because you scavenged an airship, you strut around arrogant beyond measure.”

Heh, garbage airships like that couldn’t even be considered cannon fodder in the war back then.

He spat the words with a sneer. “So fierce, are you? Let’s see if you can even leave whole corpses behind.”

...

In the north of Brocade Lake Municipality, on the frontlines.

After securing the subway entrance and the streets to Champion Biopharmaceutical Research Institute, the New Alliance didn’t push further. Instead, they built solid defenses, awaiting resupply.

After a full day’s battle, most players were nearly out of ammunition. Even if their bodies held, their guns couldn’t.

Once sectors were assigned, the corps commanders held a quick meeting to set the next phase of action.

Central Command had given them freedom. They could prioritize either seizing Champion Biopharmaceutical Research Institute or flushing away the Mutant Humans from the subway.

For convenience, as usual, the debate went onto the official forum.

The term “debate” was generous.

Almost everyone agreed. The laboratory was the top target.

Not only did it house 1,000 cubic meters of Helium-3 and the fake Hive controlling the gray fog, taking it would also sever the Torch Church controlled Qi Tribe.

If instead they focused on exterminating Mutant Humans, they would thin the numbers of enemies but risk new variables.

The Torch Church wouldn’t ignore losing an Archbishop. If they didn’t make a greater move, they would at least send a replacement.

Achieving a quick victory would be best, and it wouldn’t be too difficult to spend more time clearing out the surviving Mutant Humans in the future.

Consensus came in ten minutes.

Then Spring Water Commander, who hadn’t spoken for some time, chimed in. “... Don’t you think things are going too smoothly?”

The Storm Corps had been busy in the north forests and hadn’t actually joined in the event.

However, with the reports flooding into the forums, he had to voice his thoughts.

Sideline Slacking: A smooth battle is bad? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Spring Water Commander: I didn’t say it’s bad. Just too easy. Either your foes are idiots, or they’re hiding a trump card.

Midnight Pubg: What do you mean?

Spring Water Commander: If I were their leader and hopeless, I would run. No matter what the Torch Church paid, dead men won’t be able to spend the money. With the fog, they could flee through the subway. You guys can't stop them.

Garbage: Fair logic... But Mutant Humans aren’t like people. They’ve always butchered us like sheep. Maybe they’ve never even considered losing.

Midnight Pubg: +1. They’re beasts, not schemers.

Spring Water Commander: It’s not about scheming. It’s about being real. If they never considered defeat, they would have stayed in their camp and fought to the death. However, they still went underground.

Ample Time: Hmm... I thought of that too. But what trump card could they possibly still have? And if they had one, why not play it sooner?

Spring Water Commander: Brother, how did we capture Heart of Steel in the first place?

Irene: Oh god, here he goes bragging. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Elf Wang: Yeah, yeah, we know, you commanded it. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Spring Water Commander: Ahem... I’m not bragging about it, I’m serious! Think about it, doesn’t this feel familiar? [1]

Quit Smoking: We tied down their ground troops, then sent a sudden ambush... Fuck, you mean they might copy us?

Escaping Mole: But they don’t have planes.

Spring Water Commander: True, they don’t have planes... But what if they don’t just have Goliaths and those regenerating meat monsters you guys spoke of? What if they have winged Mutant Humans?

Ample Time: We’ve seen no flying elites so far... but you’re right. If the Torch Church can breed nonsense like those creatures, flying beasts aren’t impossible.

Escaping Mole: Yeah. Apart from needing phase cannons, against a shielded airship... They don’t have a choice but to board the airship.

Eye Owe Money: Wait... Are you serious?! Do you really think they have winged Mutant Humans?!

Spring Water Commander: This is war! Anything can happen. I suggest we better play safe. Send a squad back to guard the airship. You’ve already reached the gates of their base anyway.

Old White: Got it, the Burning Corps will head back! :)

Whether mutants had a trump card or not, leaving an elite troop back at base to prevent a backdoor would settle everyone’s nerves.

Plenty of muscle remained. The Skeleton Corps, Death Corps, and Jungle Corps could take the lab with no problem at all.

Mosquito: Holy shit... My ass clenched when I read this. I’m logging back in now! ( ˶°ㅁ°) !!

Night Ten: Don’t panic, I’ll come keep you company. (¬ω¬)

1. the mighty commander has spoken ☜