I had Isaac by the throat — one light squeeze and I could snap it. Isaac grimaced in panic and complained of pain.But that expression only provoked my disgust of him.Because I knew it was all an act.“I know you can’t feel pain. Answer my question.”“Hmm, you even knew that?”Isaac erased his expression and gave a blank face.The colorless expression, devoid of any trace of emotion, proved that he wasn’t a normal human.“I told you, it’s a phenomenon even I don’t understand.”‘He doesn’t know how dangerous this phenomenon is.’As he went limp, I tossed him aside without a second thoughtThud—“You look rough. Harsh. And your manners fits just as well.”This is dangerous.These beings are ultimately evolutionary creatures.And most of that evolution happens through cannibalism among their own kind.Judging by the scattered remains already visible, cannibalism was occurring intermittently.Meaning, among that multitude, there are likely some second-stage mutants.Or, in the worst case, even third-stage mutants.“Don’t get too worked up. It’s not such a bad phenomenon.”“What did you say?”“You may not know, but when they run out of food, they eat each other. In other words, as long as this place exists, they can self-destruct without much effort.”“Ha…”It was a story not even worth responding to.Self-destruct? Words like that could come only from someone who had no understanding of the consequences of evolution.“What I’m saying is, we could create a utopia here.”“Utopia, given the horrors outside? You’re insane.”“As I said, we’re just treating the raiders accordingly.”“Some say raiders never even existed in the first place.”“No, the raiders definitely existed.”Isaac’s subtle gaze.That was the moment the hidden truth about the nearby group began to fall into place like a puzzle.“There were no monsters… so people gathered, and although they didn’t wield swords, they demanded supplies using their morality and compassion as weapons.”Perhaps the answer to this phenomenon lies within that puzzle.As I listened silently, Isaac began to speak as if he had been waiting.“So we had to make a choice. As their numbers grew, we needed to consider what to do.”“Continue.”“The most rational method: create a framework of religion and mediate within it.”And within that framework, I discovered a contradiction.“Convenient, isn’t it? The raiders are forced to labor, and the original residents receive fair compensation.”A contradiction revealed from beginning to end.“There is no evil here. Only providence.”At the intersection of that contradiction…The answer of the old man known as the Apostle emerged for some reason.“Believe only what you see. The answer will be there.”“Someone is lying.”What I saw:Children and women whose tongues had been cut out by raiders.Numerous humans abused under the pretext of forced labor.Testimony of the youth claiming raiders never existed.At least the youth must have spoken the truth.Otherwise, he would not have revealed even a fragment of it.He had no reason to lie to me.The truth the youth spoke:[Raiders never existed.]Focusing on that, the hidden truth began to surface.Those who were being abused… weren’t raiders?Raiders had never existed at all?Then there was only one possibility:A third force, not the raiders, had taken control of this place.And only one person could have made that happen.Someone who couldn’t belong here in the first place.As I layered hypothesis upon hypothesis, my brow furrowed as the truth approached.This hypothesis aligned with the testimony of the old man called the Apostle.Depending on perspective, the story could differ.To some, the third force is the raiders.To others, the third force is an enemy that must be destroyed.The youth’s malice wasn’t aimed at someone in the same situation.“The poison was intended for the security force from the start.”Though different stories were being told, one person was clearly lying.“You were the liar.”“…?!”Isaac Lucas.He was the liar.“The raiders were you and your security team.”“What do you mean?”“Didn’t you say you came because you were curious about why the creatures disappeared? In other words, you were an outsider from the beginning.”“Depending on timing, perhaps… but I—”“And if you were merely the head of the security, there was no way you could have decided to let outsiders in on your own.”“…”“The old man warned me. Some youth were extremely wary of outsiders.”All the puzzle pieces fell into place in an instant.“The raiders who cut out the tongues of women and children.And the security team abusing the original residents to control this place.”“…That means…”“What has the special forces been scheming here?”The puzzle completed.Cracks appeared on Isaac’s face.“The old man probably didn’t speak nonsense.”“I won’t ask twice.”“But doesn’t ‘the Order of Silence’ fit perfectly? With the women and children whose tongues were cut.”Disgust deepened.Once deemed enemies, there was no mercy.Crunch!A broken waist.Even then, he grabbed me.“Kyle, we’ve found the answer.”“Damn it… he already changed his body.”His body was now mechanical.He must have been replaced with a clone android.“Of course. We value our lives. But I want to propose something.”“Proposal?”“Join us.”The absurdity made me laugh.“Me? With you?”“As I said, we found the answer. A way to resolve this situation.”“I wonder if that method is even normal.”“Now you finally feel like talking?”I didn’t.The hand I stretched out immediately grabbed Isaac’s head.The android clone still reacted even as its head was pulled off.“Ha… shall we see if I'm right?”“What?”“You intend to gather creatures from all over using this phenomenon, right?”“…”“Then trigger a nuclear self-destruction?”Isaac didn’t answer.But he displayed an emotion close to anger for the first time.He probably felt his perfect plan was being belittled.“So you’ll abandon the city, wait somewhere safe, and watch the remaining mutants tear themselves apart. Such a petty plan.”“Excellent deduction. I can’t deny it.”“If that garbage plan actually worked, I’d have done it already.”“What?”Rage filled me to the bone.They had no idea how grotesque their intended actions were.“Creatures evolve through cannibalism. Once they reach the final form, it’s too late.”“…”“What you’re attempting is the worst choice, accelerating that timing.”“Even if that’s true, using nukes to reduce their numbers leaves no variables.”“Listen carefully.”A deep breath.I swallowed the rage filling my bones, hoping they wouldn’t execute that damn plan.“If you intended self-destruction, it should have been done early. What you’re doing now is meaningless.”“Why?”“You don’t know, but the creatures are continuously evolving. It’s past the stage where radiation can kill them.”“…”“Go tell your leader this.”Every ounce of restrained anger became a warning like a wedge.“If you are caught doing anything useless, I will personally hunt you down. I will slaughter each of you, burn the land you occupied, and erase every trace of anything related to you. I will wipe your existence from this city.”At that warning, Isaac grimaced with rage.“Good luck.”Crunch—!!Isaac’s head exploded.Sizzle—“Benjamin.”Sizzle!“I will fire a signal flare in the sky. Civilians return to the underground tunnels, and the main force gather at the flare’s location.”-Sizzle… All forces will be armed immediately.“And if you can contact Yevgeniya, tell her to bring Black Wing here.”-Sizzle… Yes, sir.A horrific situation was about to unfold.But now…“We can stop it.”At that moment, a strange sensation passed through.Time seemed to slow.For a brief instant, my chaotic mind went blank.‘Did they underestimate us?’The malice of the Transhumans was unmistakable.Kraaaaang—!!!Isaac’s body, whose head had been torn off, exploded.***Benjamin, Eli, and countless troops maintained combat readiness, watching the sky.“The flare?”“Not observed!”“Mr. Howard, we must head to the explosion immediately.”“…We march to the explosion site immediately.”““Yes—!!!””The Ark Special Forces began their advance.***A massive explosion tore through the air.Ringing filled my ears, and blood trickled from wounds cut by flying debris.“Transhumans…”Amid the chaos, a hand reached for me.“Damn it! Damn it! Why did you come here—me?!”I looked up. It was the young man.“Get up! We have to leave immediately! Quick!!”I understood.The explosion brought down whatever had drawn the creatures’ attention.Then, as if waiting, countless creatures began to move.If we stayed, it would be the end.‘Luckily, I’m unharmed.’I lifted the young man and then, with the sudden momentum, made his jaw drop in disbelief.“W-what!”“Listen carefully. Run to where I tell you and bring back two things immediately. Then everyone can survive.”“Huh?!”We only need two things.Coincidentally, two items nearby.“Wayless History Museum, top floor, password 0111.”“The Wayless History Museum…?”“It’s nearby. You should be able to find it.”“Of course.”“Bring back the reactor and the black coat.”“Huh? Why…?”“No time. My endurance won’t last long.”Quickly exiting the subway,I secured the entrance.“Sorry for the misunderstanding. And please, take care of this.”“…Understood.”By the time I found the signal flare in the half-crushed bag,the creatures were trying to leave the railway.[‘Gun Phobia’ activated]‘Damn.’[Status: Panic]A trait that gripped his ankles, threatening to topple him down.My mind clouded.Still, I stubbornly pulled the trigger into the air.Fwoooosh—!As the red flare painted the sky,[‘Extrasensory’ activated]The mutants’ blood also scattered into the air.

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