Chapter 171: Night Queen
Zack stood his ground, flexing his fingers. "Did you catch all that, Ego?" his attacks was so decisive that he hadn't gotten a clear look at the shadowy figure.
"Sir, the 3D model is ready," Ego's voice chimed in, pulling up a holographic projection. The scan revealed the shadow was humanoid—standing an imposing five meters tall. Its size was too large for the corridor, forcing it to crawl on all fours like a beast. The creature resembled a grotesque, enlarged version of a female Night Stalker, but with a horrifying twist. Its lower body bulged into a swollen, spider-like abdomen, covered with fist-sized tumors.
Inside each tumor, curled up like fetuses, were smaller Night Stalkers. "Just great. My worst fears confirmed," Zack muttered as he stepped forward, his face grim. He barked an order to the fearless warriors stationed at the other end of the corridor: "Do not let anything escape. No exceptions!"
"Yes, sir!" they replied, their voices echoing like thunder in the narrow space. Zack continued down the corridor, which opened into a larger room. The area was filled with rows of cultivation tanks and petri dishes, most shattered or spilling their gruesome contents across the floor.
The moment Zack entered, sharp roars erupted around him. His HUD lit up, marking several thin figures sprinting toward him. Zack, prepared for the ambush, uncoiled an electromagnetic whip from his belt. The whip sparked and crackled as it activated, radiating heat hot enough to slice through steel.
With one smooth motion, he swung the whip in a wide arc. The electrified cord cut through the oncoming shadows effortlessly, severing them at the waist. Their bisected bodies collapsed to the ground with sickening thuds. "Roar!" A piercing scream echoed from the far end of the room. This time, the voice sounded weak, almost desperate.
"Looks like it's time to meet the real boss," Zack muttered, gripping the crackling whip tightly as he moved toward the sound. The light from the whip illuminated the space ahead, and Zack finally got a good look at the massive creature. It matched the scan results, but now it was visibly battered. Both arms hung limply, broken from the earlier impact. Bone spurs jutted out at odd angles, and blood covered its mangled body.
Despite its injuries, the creature exuded an air of menace. Zack didn't care. "Ego, start a scan," he ordered coldly, stepping closer.
"Roar!" The creature's hollow eyes fixated on Zack. It let out a guttural cry and spat a stream of acid at him.
Crack! Zack snapped the whip without hesitation, striking the creature's jaw. The electrified cord tore through flesh and bone, ripping off half its chin. The acid meant for Zack spilled harmlessly onto the creature itself, though it seemed immune to its own corrosive attack.
The creature let out a distorted, ear-piercing scream. Then, it did something Zack didn't expect. "You... I... save..." it rasped, its voice garbled and wet, as though it were choking on its own fluids.
Zack froze, stunned. "Did you hear that, Ego? It just... spoke!"