NOVEL NEXT Chapter 887: Converted
Shane then observed the battlefield and realized that the concentration of the Zombie Horde had changed.
The northeast side was barely holding…
But the real problem wasn't the brute-types or the armored zombies anymore.
It was the Lickers.
Not the usual ones. These were different.
They moved faster.
Their bodies were bloated with infection, and their skin was filled with black rot. Each one had two long tongues, twitching and whipping through the air like snakes.
Indeed! They had two long, snake-like tongues that could shatter stones!
But it didn't end there. The moment they lashed out, they didn't just tear flesh, they injected something too!
Without a doubt, it was something viral. Something that spread to other Survivors.
Shane watched one of the riflemen get hit across the shoulder. This was after his Safety Token was attacked six times!
"Aarghh!"
The man screamed, dropped his weapon, and was immediately dragged back by two medics. His skin was already turning pale.
He had darkened veins, and his breathing had immediately become shallow…
Soon, Cloud reported the situation.
[ Virus Detected: Licker Strain and Stabilizer Required after a direct hit. ]
"Got it, Cloud. I'll let Anna handle that matter." Shane said as he appreciated the A.I. report.
Shane watched as the medics just placed the injured on the side and injected him with a virus-stabilizer on his neck.
It seemed that they realized that he wouldn't last and get converted into a Zombie before getting him into the medbay.
Cloud then continued with the report.
[ Alert: Infested Licker King detected. Three Super Soldiers have been converted. ]
Shane froze.
'Three of them turned into zombies so quickly?' Shane was shocked. After all, the Super Soldiers were known to have a high level of immunity. They also wore Epic Grade Set, and they have 3 or more Protection Tokens in their possession.
Even if they get swarmed by Zombies, they also have Armored Dash that could help them escape from sticky situations.
'That's not good…' Shane thought as he knew that if Super Soldiers got converted so quickly, it means that normal Survivors would also be in a lot more trouble.
"Where?" he asked the A.I.
[ Coordinates locked. Licker King is moving through the eastern trench with 15 Infested Lickers and 3 Super Soldier Zombies . ]
It was quite surprising since it only had 15 Infested Lickers on its side, but it means that the Super Soldiers must've done their job.
Shane clenched his jaw. "We're not losing anyone else."
Shane had used overdrive on his Bio-Armor, so it was still not in the best condition. However, that didn't matter with Silver on his side.
"Cloud. Deploy Warden Units only. No humans. I want full suppression on the Licker King. No direct engagement. Just pin it down."
[ Confirmed. Warden Units en route. ]
The androids moved fast, ten of them, each armed with reinforced blades and rifles…
Soon, they dashed forward as they needed to ensure that these Zombies wouldn't be able to pass through their defense.
Shane also hurried as he needed to eliminate such a Zombie…
Although it was not a Lord Tier Zombie, the fact that it could infect others a lot faster means that its threat was at the highest level…
The Infested Licker King was massive… It was twice the size of a normal Licker. Its body was hunched, its back covered in sacs that leaked black fluid.
Its tongues were longer than its arms, each one tipped with some kind of bone spike. And its eyes… they weren't blind like the others.
They were glowing.
The Warden Units opened fire first… They used their armor-piercing rounds aimed at the limbs. The Licker King shrieked and leapt sideways, dodging with unnatural speed.
As for the other Infested Licker around it, they also blocked the Warden Units to protect their leader…
Just like that, the battle of the two sides continued.
***
Shane didn't wait for a full report.
He vaulted over the barricade and sprinted toward the battlefield…
The place was thick with smoke and the stench of rot, but it didn't bother him with his Aura Sentinel activated.
Cloud then reminded him of the situation.
[ Warden Units engaged. Infested Licker King is resisting suppression. ]
Shane activated Adrenaline Surge, forcing his body into peak responsiveness. His vision sharpened and the fatigue in his limbs dulled instantly.
He arrived at the battlefield just as one of the Warden Units was knocked aside by a tongue strike. The android's chestplate was dented, but it recovered quickly, and the Unit raised its blade…
However, the Licker King turned toward Shane.
Its eyes glowed brighter as it realized that Shane was the bigger threat here.
Its tongues lashed out.
Shane ducked the first and sidestepped the second, then triggered Armored Dash, closing the distance in a blur.
"Haa!"
Shane then slashed upward with his Eon Edge, carving across the creature's chest.
Everything happened so quickly as the Warden Units had opened a path for him…
Just like, black fluid sprayed, sizzling on contact with the ground.
The King shrieked and leapt backward, but Shane was already moving. He activated Quick Draw, unsheathing his blade mid-spin, and followed with Double Thrust, aiming for the sacs on its back!
One burst.
Two ruptures.
The Licker King staggered, and in just a few movements, the Infested Licker King was already suppressed as it had to swiftly retreat…
The converted Super Soldiers moved in next.
They were fast and coordinated. Their bodies were undead, but their combat instincts hadn't faded. One of them lunged at Shane with a broken halberd, the other flanked him with a sharp blade.
Shane triggered Veiled Step, vanishing for a split second and reappearing behind them.
'I'm sorry, guys…' Shane thought as he didn't hesitate. A clean slash dropped the first and a follow-up strike severed the second's arm.
They do not have any means to help Zombies aside from eliminating them. They could only prevent it, but not cure it.
Nonetheless, as he was about to eliminate the third converted Super Soldier, Anna immediately stopped him through Cloud's comms…
[ Anna wanted you to capture the Converted Super Solder. Alive. ]