Mutagen



Day 351 - 8:21 PM - Northern Side, 39th Satelite Settlement, Muria Sacred Fortress, Mount Muria, Central Java, Indonesia

Luna and Bajing patrolled the northern vicinity of the 39th Satelite Settlement. It was a task to keep their citizens safe, and the two were doing it diligently.

The two carefully checked the surroundings, searching for suspicious things and movements. In this apocalypse, especially in this country, the enemies were not only the [Infected] and the [Mechids]. Sometimes, it was the environment.

Since this fortress stood on a mountain, trees and vegetation covered its entirety. It was a good source of construction materials and food. However, the nature of the [Mutagen] in Indonesia caused flora to mutate into monsters. It was a rare occurrence, but could happen randomly. Fortunately, it seemed that the instances of plants and trees turning into man-eating monsters decreased further the more humans and fauna gathered in an area.

According to the researchers in the fortress, it was because humans, animals, and insects absorb more [Mutagen] than most species of flora. With humans within the fortress, it became hard for stagnant [Mutagen] to accumulate to be slowly absorbed by the trees and plants.

That was why even if trees and plants covered the fortress and its vicinity, it was relatively safe from mutations of plants and trees within.

But even so, mutations could still happen randomly. It caused the military and the government to attempt to cut all trees and unnecessary plants inside the fortress. Unfortunately, that plan never came to fruition.

After all, even in the apocalypse, radical religious groups exist. Turning the sacred mountain into a fortress had already tainted it. They were against the further desecration of the sacred land.

The far more unfortunate thing was that many people supported these religious groups to the point that it was the most influential force in the fortress, just behind the government and the military. That influence fumbled plans to clear the fortress of unnecessary fauna for a rather stupid reason. It was just that for some people trying to assert their dominance, a sacred place was more important than the safety of the people living inside it.

In the end, the responsibility to monitor these uncut trees and vegetation fell to the military and the Satelite Settlements.

"Looks like we're clear for now."

Bajing said as she saw a unique part of the wall with a foundation post. 

It was the post marking the border of the area they were responsible for. Reaching this area meant they could patrol back to their settlement.

"Let's return," Luna agreed with Bajing, but she noticed something. "Thirteenth?"

Thirteenth stopped on steps, looking in a certain direction.

After being called by Luna, Thirteenth gave Luna a short glance before turning her head back.

Luna immediately realized what was going on and turned to Bajing.

"Bajing, investigate that direction."

Luna ordered.

"Yes, ma'am~!"

Bajing did not question the order and immediately complied.

Quick on her feet, Bajing kicked the ground and rushed up a nearby tall tree. She really lived up to her current name. Bajing meant squirrel, and her abilities gave her the most advantage in forested areas.

Bajing reached the top of the tree in a few seconds. Despite her weight as an adult person, she had no problems balancing on the thin branches atop the tree. Her brown pupils turned beady black as she focused her eyes on the direction Thirteenth faced.

But instead of reporting to Luna, Bajing shouted.

"GET READY FOR BATTLE!"

As Bajing shouted those words, a large shadow jumped over the walls. As it landed on the ground, it jumped again, attempting to reach the tree Bajing stood at. The figure was fast and strong. It did not struggle as its jump instantly reached the top of the tree.

However, the top of the tree was Bajing's territory. She evaded the enemy while swinging around the thin branches. As she spun her body around a horizontal branch, she delivered a kick to the enemy's abdomen, causing it to fall.

Despite the kick and the fall, the enemy landed on the ground on its four paws.

As the moon shined on the enemy, who stood still in front of them for the first time, its appearance became apparent.

"A [Vine Dhole]."

Bajing smiled as she assessed the enemy below her.

A [Vine Dhole]. It was an enlarged mutated Dhole or Asian Wild Dog. Its fur had mixed colors of green, orange, and black. It was well known for its attacks involving vines, which gave it its current name.

GRUA!

The [Vine Dhole] opened its mouth. A dozen vines shot out of its throat, aiming at Bajing up the tree.

"Woops~!"

Bajing immediately evaded, jumping off from the tree she was on onto another. However, as if the vines had consciousness, the vines chased after her.

Unfortunately for the [Vine Dhole], Bajing was extremely agile above the trees. It was easier for the vines to get tangled between the branches than to catch her.

Furthermore, the [Vine Dhole] focused too much on the prey it saw first, neglecting the purple-haired maiden not far behind it.

While Bajing took the attention of the enemy, Luna unsheathed her weapon. It was a Keris or Kris, a dagger with a wavy blade. And the Keris Luna held was made with silver.

The blade reflected the moonlight along with the glittering shine on Luna's purple hair.

And as Luna flicked her arm into position, she vanished.

In the blink of an eye, Luna stood past the enemy as its head got lopped off, and its body fell to the side.

However, instead of relaxing, Luna tightened her grip on her weapon and looked up.

There was not only one enemy. [Vine Dholes] moved in groups. If one appeared, there should be a few more arriving.

Luna was right. Just as she looked up, several [Vine Dholes] had already jumped over the wall. The wall was not low by any means. It was just that [Vine Dholes] were tricky creatures with various means of traversing different kinds of terrain.

"Five more!"

Bajing shouted as she suddenly landed on the back of one of the five [Vine Dholes] in midair. She then kicked the Dhole she stepped on, and with an agile flip, she kicked and delivered a drop of her heel on the head of that poor enemy.

"Four!"

Bajing shouted as the head of the Dhole she kicked burst into chunks of flesh and brain matter before it fell to the ground, lifeless.

The other four Dholes landed safely, filled with aggression. They thought they had found prey, but two of their group died helplessly.

Looking at Luna, the Dholes opened their mouths, shooting more than a dozen vines at the purple-haired lady.

The vines might not be as fast as a bullet, but the speed they shoot should still kill people easily if hit. Even if the hit failed to kill, these vines would go and constrict their victims to death.

But facing those fast-moving vines, Luna kept calm.

The Silver Keris in Luna's hand danced as she switched to a reverse grip. And then, she moved forward.

Her eyes in full focus, Luna dodged the vines by a hair's breadth. It was not perfect, but she tried not to waste too much energy by dodging too far. It also allowed her to charge towards her opponents.

[Vine Dholes] could shoot vines from their throats. The vines would catch the prey, and the Dholes would swallow the prey hole. It was their most lethal weapon.

But it was also the [Vine Dhole's] weakness. The [Vine Dholes] could not see in front of them while they kept their mouths open when attacking using vines. It was not an exposed weakness since most prey would try to evade the vines by going to the side, keeping the prey within the view of the [Vine Dhole].

Very few creatures and individuals would be able to face these vines, after all.

Unfortunately, Luna was one of those individuals.

In no time, Luna reached the first enemy. The [Vine Dholes] was three-fourths the size of an adult cow. They were not extremely large but were still large compared to a human.

Turning the size disadvantage into an advantage, Luna slid under the neck of one of the [Vine Dholes] and spun her body vertically.

With that, another [Vine Dhole] fell with its head lopped off by Luna's dagger.

Sensing the death of another of their own, the remaining three [Vine Dholes] tried to retract their vines and controlled them to chase after Luna.

But Bajing came falling once again, spinning midair before dropping her heel on another head of one of the enemies.

Surprised by another death, the remaining two [Vine Dholes] became overcome with fear. They tried to retreat and flee.

However, turning their backs on these two dangerous ladies was not a good choice either.

In the end, the group of six predatory [Vine Dholes] became the prey instead by the hands of these powerful ladies.

Luna stood by the corpses of the intruders. She wiped the blood from her weapon before taking out a radio from her belt bag.

"Edge, can you hear me?"

Luna called the guy she left in charge of the lookout at the settlement.

There was a short pause before a fumbling voice replied.

"I'm here. Did something happen?"

Edge's voice echoed through the radio.

"Nothing much," Luna replied. "I need people to transport six [Vine Dholes]. Send them immediately."

There was no immediate reply. It seemed that Edge immediately called for people before replying.

"Did those Dholes manage to jump over the wall again?"

Edge finally replied with a question.

"Yeah," Luna answered with a frown. "We're lucky these Dholes jumped while I and Bajing are patrolling."

"Yep," Edge agreed. "Those Dholes slipped through 40th a week ago. They got some casualties, too."

"Alright, just get the transport ready. When these arrive, butcher these corpses immediately. We can add them to our food supply."

Luna urged.

"Yes, ma'am," Edge replied. "Six [Vine Dholes]. We'll eat good for a few days at least."

While Luna talked on the radio, Bajing already lined up the corpses of the six [Vine Dholes]. These animals were not [Infected]. They were animals that evolved due to the influence of the environment. As such, [Vine Dholes] were edible.

However, there was a little downside.

"Are we going to eat nothing but these for a while?" Bajing asked. "I know they're animals, but their meat tastes like spinach."

"It's not like we have much choice," Luna shrugged. "At least we have something edible to eat."

Bajing could not refute Luna's words, but she was not fond of spinach-tasting meat.

"Hey~ Thank you~"

Leaving the taste of the meat aside, Bajing spoke to Thirteenth, who stood nearby.

"You also have my gratitude for helping us again."

Luna also chimed in.

Thirteenth did not reply to Bajing, but she spoke to Luna.

"I did nothing of such."

Thirteenth replied, making the two shrug their shoulders. It was not the first time, after all.

The [Eyes] could not directly intervene under normal circumstances. It was their rule. However, indirect actions could be done to some extent. Just like what Thirteenth did just now. She neither said anything nor participated in the fight. The only thing she did was to gaze blankly in a certain direction. Then, it was up to Luna and Bajing's interpretation.

But while talking, Thirteenth suddenly vanished in front of Luna and Bajing.

It was when the two heard rustling in the opposite direction of their wall.

"Huh?"

A voice entered the ears of the two as a group of armed people arrived in the area.

It was a group from the 38th Satelite Settlement who should be patrolling the rest of the wall to the north.

The group of seven people saw Luna and Bajing. As they were familiar with the leader of the 39th Satelite Settlement, the group from the 38th Satelite Settlement greeted the two.

"Good evening," An armored man led the greeting before turning his eyes on the dead [Vine Dholes]. "Miss Luna sure is lucky."

"I won't really consider it lucky," Luna replied. "Anyone could die after getting attacked by a pack of these."

"I see," The man replied. "We will get going then. We came because we heard someone shouting. We thought someone needed help."

"You're already here," Luna spoke. "Why not take one?"

"Are you sure, Miss?"

The man asked with a smile.

"It's fine," Luna replied with a pretentious smile. "It's just one, anyway."

"We will accept your generosity, then," The man said before turning to his members. "You lot. Carry one of these."

And without any sense of shame, the man picked the biggest of the six animal corpses.

Bajing looked at the group, displeased. However, Luna just stared without any expression.

"Thank you for this. We'll owe this favor."

The man thanked Luna as they carried the animal corpse away.

When the group was nowhere in sight anymore, Bajing finally exploded.

"What a bunch of shameless, pretentious hooligans. They are clearly trying to get our sympathy by saying they came to help. Are we really letting them off just like that?" 

"Just leave it be," Luna said, keeping her blank expression. "Just think that it's a small thing in exchange for them to leave us alone for a while."

"Still, grr."

Bajing heaved a breath of anger.

Luna stared at the place where that group had left. She was willing to do this kind of exchange. But if those thought that Luna could be exploited like this again, they would be mistaken.

The next time those people thought they could repeat this kind of thing, Luna would not hesitate to let those people be swallowed by the darkness of the night.