Chapter 180


    [Trantor  Jjescus]


    [Proofreader  Demon Gods Disciple]


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    In the vast expanse of space survival, various intelligent species coexist, giving rise to all sorts of creatures. From beings resembling wild animals on Earth to horrific monsters straight out of a horror movie, to even divine entities that evoke cosmic awe. Among these creatures, some possess special abilities. They mimic sentient beings.


    One prominent example is the Red Mist, a predator. With its jaguar-like appearance adorned with red fur, it emits an irresistible hallucinogenic pheromone, rendering defenses useless. After spreading its hallucinogenic pheromone, it mimics human speech to entice and deceive yers. It mimics the conversations and movements of yers based on specific algorithms, making it quite realistic. Escaping the hallucination itself is challenging, and coupled with its ability to mimicpanions, yers unaware of the Red Mists nature can easily fall prey.


    Its not for nothing they call it the apex predator of jungles.


    In the early days of the game, its nickname was Space Predator.


    As time passed and experienced yers increased, fewer fell for the Red Mists tricks. No matter how advanced AI may be, it still feels awkward from a human perspective.


    But what if the deceiver is human?


    If you pretend to be a fellow yer, knowing their equipment and preferred tactics from yesterdays gaming session, can you really avoid being deceived?


    In essence, the best deceiver of humans is another human, particrly one who knows their opponent well.


    And Im probably the one who deceived others the most in the game, the Amorph.


    So, shall we begin?


    With all preparationsplete, I approached the enemy group. As I drew near, they halted their movement.


    Indeed, the Temple Guardians.


    Their skills are considerable. Sinceing to this world, few have anticipated and prepared for my approach.


    I heard the sound of Ggons w-made de being drawn and the snipers loading their Demolishers, but there was no chatter. Theyre probably fiercely discussing their response via telepathic link.


    Alright.


    My task here isnt to sneak up on the enemy but to sow distrust among them. Beyond the junction of the wide ice corridor, I slightly parted my lips. Near my throat, in a region akin to where a humans thyroid nd would be, lies a special organ.


    Its the Mimicry Organ, an organ that activates within me due to the characteristics of the Eidos Device. It resets with each absorption of new gic material, enabling me to mimic a new voice.


    The weapon I used to deceive and consume countless prey is once again activated.


    Help me!


    A womans voice flowed from my lips.


    Its the voice of the cultist who fell victim to the Adhai after fleeing from themunal area where the corpse of the Ice Horror was found. After receiving the corpse from the Adhai and taking a bite, I used it for the mimicry organ.


    Theres a reason why I chose this cultist.


    She seemed quite important.


    Other members bought her time to escape safely. Seeing that, theres a high likelihood she employs psychic techniques rted to information transmission. Wherever you go, the credibility and importance of a statement rise depending on who the speaker is. If a person is deemed important enough forrades to sacrifice themselves for, then surely, there would be considerations on the other side about what to do.


    Whats this?!


    Its Selene!


    As I anticipated, they began to falter upon hearing the voice.


    Everyone, hold on!


    At that moment, a woman shouted with a bold and firm voice. Judging solely by the voice, she seemed like the leader of that group.


    The cultists, who were previously hesitating, collectively ceased their movements. Then followed the silence. They must bemunicating via telepathy.


    Indeed.


    When I mimicked the voice of the cult, or rather Selene, two main actions could be taken on their side upon hearing it: rushing to aid me or preparing to attack, suspicious of my intentions.


    For them, there shouldnt be an option to retreat as Im an immediate threat that needs to be dealt with.


    However, they didnt choose either option. They maintained vignce whilemunicating telepathically instead of verbally.


    What does this signify?


    Ive already heard about this, havent I?


    The highest-ranking figure here, the cult priest.


    Its evident that he, with considerable experience in Space Survival, had exined to them about me.


    If someone knew me, they wouldnte here at all.


    Because who knows what traps I might haveid. Besides, this is reality. If either I or the enemy yer dies, thats it. Even if their skills are impressive, can they really venture forth so easily?


    I dont think so.


    But theyre exploiting that fact.


    The cult yer wouldnt approach out of fear of traps. Even knowing that Im nearby.


    Its highly likely that he had assessed how far my nest had spread after hearing news of the initial attack. His decision to halt the advance was probably due to realizing the disadvantage of fighting from the nest.


    His safe option would be to recall his subordinates first. Then, he could alter his strategy and move ordingly.


    His intent was clear as his subordinates began to move again. Their steps seemed slightly resentful, indicating dissatisfaction.


    Its inevitable.


    Not knowing unless one experiences it isnt unique to humans. Cultists are no different.


    Moreover, they are part of the Imperial Guard, one of the empires finest army units. How frustrating must it feel to abandon such honorable individuals, unsure if they are enemies or allies?


    Time to drive the wedge.


    I put down the female cultist I was holding against the wall.


    Because the Mother of the Sky had broken her neck, she was paralyzed. It made the operation easy.


    I turned her head to face me. Her pupils dted significantly, filled with disbelief as if she couldnt trust the reality before her. The moment she saw me, the movements of the members who were gradually distancing themselves from me came to a halt.


    Whats this?!


    Its Alia! Can you see her now?


    Soul Link is a very powerful technique. In a battlefield where information is life, theres nothing as crucial as having a broad perspective. Moreover, if one can instantly confirm the view of allies whenever desired, executing strategies would be much smoother. Thanks to this technique, the cultists not only excelled individually but also disyed dominance in teamwork.


    Now, lets consider the opposite scenario. What if that information is incorrect? Suppose what Im seeing differs from reality?


    Shes still alive!


    Selene rescued her!


    I looked down at the cultist, sweating profusely while leaning against the wall. She seemed to realize what I was about to do, as her pupils shook frantically. I silently asked her,


    What do I look like to you?


    Ranker Jason, ranked 10th, had a deep-seated enmity with the Amorphs. He was a concept yer based on the so-called lookism. His ying motto was to kill ugly aliens and enve the less ugly ones. This kind of y style wasnt particrly special. In Space Survival, there were all sorts of entric yers, and many enjoyed simr ys in other games too.


    What made Jason, a normal concept yer, famous was that his tormenting of monster yers went beyond the norm. There were quite a few yers who couldnt bear his torment and quit the game.


    In fact, such a type tends to make a lot of enemies, but what allowed him to thrive was his fans who followed him. Jason was an inte broadcaster who made Space Survival his main content, so he had quite a lot of followers trailing after him. With his followers, Jason wielded considerable power even in the game.


    Because of this, even among monster yers, it wasnt easy to challenge him as a ranker. One might suggest waiting for him to be alone, but Jason was also a ranker ranked 10th. He was by no means an easy opponent.


    Originally a human-centric concept yer, he chose the cult because the cult race had good performance. Good performance meant even if hecked skillspared to other yers, he wouldnt easily fall prey.


    Thus, as he indulged in all sorts of viiny while enjoying the game, one day, his end came. The one who became the worst race as a ranker. The one who prompted former adversaries to form an alliance and put a bounty on him. The 5th-ranked Amorph ranker began targeting him.


    For over half a year, that fellow followed him every day, ridiculing him with bizarre tactics. Especially the incident where the fellow, hidden, ambushed him as he tried to enter the characters dormitory to end the game, was enough to be a urban legend in themunity.


    Due to the Amorph, two ns created by his followers were destroyed, and his rtionship with the rankers he was close to fell apart. Eventually, Jason, unable to endure, publicly wrote a letter of apology in themunity, bringing the incident to a close.


    Afterward, as soon as he entered the gaming world, it all became a thing of the past. But the time he spent in the world of Space Survival was not insignificant. Now, I thought it was forgettable.


    Until I came here, or rather until I met him, I thought so, but I was mistaken. The telepathying from him awakened deeply buried nightmares.


    Jason! Are you seeing this too? Look at Bilones eyes! Both of them are alive, not dead!


    The telepathy sent by his lover Alia truly annoyed him. He knew too. The Soul Link doesnt deactivate until the subject dies or the user cancels it. In Bilones eyes, who was kidnapped by him, the image of the female cultist who was still alive was seen.


    One of the twelve sent to exclude factors causing psychic power impairments was Selenne. She was a member who learned memory retention techniques. Normally, she was someone who should be protected at all costs.


    But Jason, who had suffered terribly from the Rank 5 Amorph, knew better. Its a trap.


    The cultist seen through Bilones eyes. She seemed to be severely injured and unable to move properly, desperately calling out to herrades.


    In the darkness, her face wasnt clearly visible, but when her voice was heard alone, she seemed pitiful as if she might copse at any moment.


    Bullshit! That disgusting Rank 5 Amorph!


    Seeing his performance, it felt like past traumas were creeping up on him.


    He was certain. The owner of that voice was already dead, and Bilone, linked by Soul Link, was in a state infected by parasites.


    If he went to save her like this, he would suffer immense damage from the cult controlled by him. In the game, he even controlled NPCs to detonate warships.


    He can mimic the appearance of the opponent exactly. Moreover, he can also absorb memories.


    What about Bilone? Is she being controlled too?


    Yeah. His parasite is controlling her.


    Ive never heard of such a monster existing.


    Naturally, it could only be so. Even in the game, the true nature of his transformation technique was never fully revealed. It was spected that the transformation was a fusion attribute made through a very rarebination or obtained as a reward from Vortex One hunting by Outer Spacer yers.


    Regardless of the identity of that transformation, there were no monsters or yers using parasites and transformation techniques like that, except him. He may have a pathological dislike for Rank 5 Amorph, but he admitted his skill was remarkable.


    Honestly, when ites to utilizing abilities, there might not be much difference between him and the 3rd or 4th rankers.


    But I know this fact.


    They are not the Temple Guardians here. They only encountered him through information, and this is the first time they have directly confronted him.


    The expertise gained from facing countless monsters was now working against them. He was a creature that could not exist when they saw him.


    Who would think that the true power of the monster that annihted the Mob Jam Corps lies in the deceptive tactics using parasites and transformation?


    Ill say it again. Alia. Give up ande over here.


    Jason.


    Alia hesitated.


    He must have aimed for this too. Weakening Jasonsmand and sowing discord between his subordinates and him.


    He sent telepathy to his lover again.


    Was it his earnestness that reached her? Just as she was about to coax her subordinates and move again.


    An anomaly urred in the shared sight through the Soul Link.


    Selenne seemed startled as if she had discovered something. Behind her, a monster revealed itself in the darkness.


    Whats that?


    With an eagle-like head, pumpkin-colored eyes, and a lions body with golden fur, the newly appeared monster was a griffin named Hwansu, who had learned divine transformation.


    Why is that Wolf, who learned divine transformation, here?


    The griffin approached closer and closer to the shared sight. Its sharp beak gleamed threateningly as Selenne suddenly stood in front of it with her arms outstretched.


    As if it couldnt pass until it killed me.


    That sight was the decisive blow.


    Damn it! Its no use anymore! Lady Alia!


    Jason, Im sorry.


    Wait! Everyone, wait! Its a trick! Crazy! Dont go!


    Jason urgently sent telepathy, but there was no response. Alia and her subordinates had severed the telepathy link.


    Instead, in her sight connected through the Soul Link, she saw the backs of the members rushing out quickly.


    They, who were running through the corridor, stopped simultaneously.


    What stood before them were Selenne standing intact and Bilone leaning against the wall. The griffin Wolf that was there just a moment ago was nowhere to be seen.


    But the members, Alia, and Jason connected through her sight could feel it.


    That thing in front of them wasnt a cultist.


    Alias transmitted sight through her eyes trembled slightly. It reflected her bewildered feelings in her pupils.


    Alias sight read the movement of its mouth.


    It was saying this.


    What do I look like to you all?


    [Trantor  Jjescus]


    [Proofreader  Demon Gods Disciple]


    Join our Discord for release /invite/dbdMDhzWa2