Mutagen

Day 47 – 1:23 PM – Imelda Avenue, Parañaque, Metro Manila

The sudden change in the situation totally turned the common sense upside down of both the soldiers and survivors alike. Since the start of the apocalypse, it had been a common sense to everyone that no matter how strong or large the infected was, it was all over once its head, brain or even just the brain stem was damaged enough.

And yet, the infected that suddenly mutated in front of their eyes became a total exception to that rule.

"What in the f*cking f*ck is this f*ck?!!!"

"Hey, watch your mouth!"

The ever foul-mouthed and shameless Joseph could not help but run his mouth as he contended with the seemingly immortal infected. As these infected did not die even after their heads were lopped off, he started to grab them despite how disgusting their bodies were and pushed them off the flyover. His body's abnormal endurance and thick skin as an evolver was really applicable in this situation. The normal evolvers, even strength types would not be able to handle skinless infected as well as him in a whim. He was too pissed off with was happening that he stopped caring whether they looked disgusting or not.

Arvie reprimanded Joseph about his swearing but it was unlikely that he latter's mouth would stop soon. After all, instead of decreasing, the seemingly immortal infected were increasing.

Besides the two, Jason and the other members of their team were also struggling to deal with the infected that already climbed up the flyover.

On the other hand, Rollan's and Nikky's were also struggling with the same kind of opponents.

"Dhie, this is looking bad isn't it?"

Nikky said to Rollan with a tinge of worry in her voice.

"It just doesn't just look bad Nhie. It's already worse."

Rollan replied as he kicked away the infected in front of him. The squeaky sound and soft but disgusting sensation as he kicked the exposed flesh of the infected made the hair on his arms stand up.

As he replied, he noticed Joseph grabbing another infected by its shoulders and trying to push it off the flyover. He then saw that flailing arm and legs of the infected.

"Joseph! Don't throw it immediately!"

Rollan shouted and grabbed the sheathed butcher knife tied to his waist.

"What?"

Joseph was startled by the sudden call and lost grip of the slippery infected. It immediately tried to bite him.

"Oh sh*t!"

Joseph cursed and hurriedly grabbed the infected by its neck while he was pushed down to the floor.

By then, Rollan already arrived and with wide heavy swings, he dismembered the infected's right arm. He then proceeded to dismember the remaining limbs from the joints causing a splatter of blood.

"F*ck! Can't you startle me like that and if you're going to do something like this, get the sh*t off me first!"

Joseph cursed as he pushed away the limbless infected that was unable to move anymore.

"But you can handle that much right? I don't think these infected can bite through your thick skin."

Rollan said as he observed the surroundings.

"F*ck you!" Joseph's foul mouth could not be stopped anymore. However, it seemed that his mood became lighter as he looked at the infected that was still trying to reach him but was not able to. "What you did is really effective but really, I prefer an infected woman over me than this guy here."

"You're sick. Really… In the head."

Rollan said with half-closed eyes and ran off to deal with the other infected. Seeing Rollan go away, he hurriedly grabbed the male infected by its neck, broke it and threw the infected over the railings of the flyover.

The two teams started to implement the method Rollan thought of. They dismembered the limbs of the immortal infected before throwing them off from the flyover. Seeing their methods, the other survivors and soldiers started to imitate them. The process was more tedious but in the least, those that were thrown off that way would not climb back. Fortunately, the limbs that were dismembered from the infected, although moved and twitched violently for a few seconds like a detached lizard tail, stopped moving. If not, it would be a very horrendous thing.

On the other side, the snipers had easier time after the change happened. The flying infected moved less erratically and tried to charge forward like berserk beasts. It became easier to predict their movements and the snipers managed to get more hits than misses.

Mei also managed to hit the [Leader Type] with bat wings straight on its forehead. The infected crashed on the ground in great momentum after falling from about a hundred meters in the air. Due to the sea of infected in the ground, she did not manage to witness its end but with that height, its fate was already closed.

She proceeded to shoot the other flying infected while being protected by Odelina and her daughters. However, she could not help but notice something odd. Not the sky that turned dark or the sudden change with the infected. But…

"Mama!"

Iola called out as she raised her hands forward and created a barrier to her side.

BAM! SIZZLE!

A skinless mutated infected crashed into the barrier.

BAM! CRACK!

Abbygale who had already transformed in her white cat form gave the infected a devastating kick.

However, that was not the only one.

BAM! BAM! BAM! SIZZLE!

Iola was forced to create a larger barrier as several more of these infected charged towards the direction of the three.

"Young Miss…"

Odelina retreated beside Mei, Abbygale and Iola while panting. Although it was not that noticeable, Odelina had been running around dealing with the climbing infected just in this area of the flyover.

"Odel, these infected are targeting us aren't they?"

Mei said while frowning. She had noticed but there were more infected coming towards them than the others. If it was just Iola, they would not feel that it was strange since it would not be the first time but no, even Abbygale, Odelina and her was being attacked relentlessly. The attacks were too persistent that Arvie's and Rollan's teams already moved around their position to deal with the infected while the Mei and the snipers dealt with the flying infected.

"WATCH OUT!"

A shout from a soldier was heard and Mei suddenly felt danger. She turned her head towards the source of danger by reflex and saw several flying infected with exposed flesh and glowing red eyes sweeping towards her. The speed was very fast that no one was able to react.

Then, everything slowed down on her sight. Her [Bullet Time] activated at the last moment. The closest infected was seen clearly in her eyes and it was the very same infected she had just shot down. In fact, aside from the gunshot on its forehead, its skull was smashed heavily and it should have stopped moving already.

She stepped to her left side allowing the first infected to sweep past her while she reached for the military combat knife on her waist with her left hand. It was then that…

She saw some black smoke by the nape of the infected that flew past her. Since the surroundings had already been dark since the black clouds blanketed the sky, the black smoke was very hard to see. If not for that she was rather too close and the scene was slowed down, she would not have seen it.

Since she did not know if she was hallucinating, she let go of her sniper rifle letting it hang on her body and her right hand sweep towards the black smoke touching it. At the moment her hand and the smoke made contact, the smoke vanished like illusion.

But…

The skinless hybrid mutated crashed on the road and stopped moving.

She was surprised but there was no time to daze about, the other flying infected was already near.

With the training Odelina gave her and the ability her eyes had, she was able to dodge the attacks of the flying infected. At the same time, she saw that each of them had that black smoke on their napes. She managed to touch some of the infected but not all. The smoke she touched vanished but those infected did not stop moving.

One of those infected without the smoke on its nape had one of its wings caught on a protruding rebar on one of the hastily made bunkers. The wing was ripped and the infected crashed unto the railing without falling off. A group of soldiers hastily restrained it and cut of its limbs and wings. They were about to pick up the limbless body and throw it off when they noticed that it was actually not moving at all. Turning over the body, they realized that it smashed its head on the railing due to the speed of its charge.

This left everyone flabbergasted as to what was happening.

***

Day 47 – 1:39 PM – Control Tower, Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Parañaque, Metro Manila

"Hoh?"

The demonic voice of the being on the other side of the portal could be heard.

"Does something matter oh Great One?"

The leader of the hooded figures asked noticing the amazement in that tone.

"The primary goal of your mission here is a lady with beautiful visage and the people around her are they not?"

"Yes, Oh Great One."

The leader was confused as to why the being in the portal asked but he still answered truthfully.

"Interesting. To encounter a [Body of Void] among mortals. Not to mention, a woman detached from world fate and destiny."

Hearing that, not only the leader but all the hooded figures were obviously flabbergasted.

"Oh Great One, the [Body of Void] and detached from fate… Is the Great One not mistaken?"

Stalker could not help but ask. He then felt his neck tighten.

"Do you, insignificant ant, dare to question me?"

The Great One glared at Stalker that had already started to get lifted off the floor with an invisible force that continued to choke his neck.

"This lowly servant implores Oh Great One to forgive my insolent subordinate."

The leader hurriedly kneeled down and asked for forgiveness.

Hearing that begging, Stalker fell down back to the floor in a coughing fit.

"You should discipline your subordinates more."

"Yes Oh Great One. I humbly apologise for his unsightly behavior."

The leader sighed in relief. Although he also did not totally like Stalker, he was still a big asset to lose.

On the portal, the eyes moved as if trying to view the scene outside towards the northwest direction of the control tower.

"The [Body of Void]. A body that rejects all negativities. A body found mostly on deities and goddesses that represented beauty. Just this was enough to make lesser gods and deities to salivate over. With the addition of being detached from fate, her future will be unfathomable if handled perfectly."

The eyes of the Great One started to glow with both desire and disappointment.

"It seems that she had already been tainted but it does not matter."

The eyes then turned towards each of the hooded figures.

"I want her. Bring her to me. Succeed and I will reward all of you in exchange."

Hearing the command, and that they will be rewarded for abducting a lowly mortal, the hooded figures felt elated. To hear the Great One to purposefully reward someone was a very huge thing for them. Furthermore, not only one of them but all of them, nothing could be said anymore but…

They all kneeled down and lowered their heads towards the floor.

"The Great One's words is our desire."

With those words, five of the hooded figures melted into shadows, one shape-shifted into a large bird with unsightly face, two blended into the surroundings while the last one became bipedal wolf with a muscular body.

They all scurried out of the control tower going at a certain direction, the flyover at Imelda Avenue Northwest of Ninoy Aquino International Airport.