Rust - Chapter 213



Only Krnovel

RUST [RUST]-213

The basement of a Japanese pharmaceutical company came to mind.

The moment the gnawing marks on the secret laboratory hallway overlapped with the pieces of carpet, Maru immediately hit the radio.

“Everyone out!”

[Chijik- Yes?]

[Beep- Have you found any traces?]

“Everything comes out.”

As they searched the empty house, Homeland Security agents and Ms. Kim came out.

“Have you seen anything here? A cockroach or a rat?”

[No···!?]

As Kim Yang was about to answer that she had no answer, an exclamation mark and a question mark appeared on her face at the same time.

[There was. There was a rat.]

So, if you look straight at a mouse like a meerkat, Maru narrowed his eyes.

“What about the size? Is it similar in size to the one we saw in Japan?”

[The size wasn’t as big as in Japan. About the size of my forearm?]

“There was only one? Are you sure?”

Kim Yang nodded at Maru’s serious voice.

“If I were a rat, there would have been rat droppings.”

One of the Homeland Security agents raised his hand and said, “I know there are a lot of rats in the country, and if there are a lot of rats, there will be rat droppings around.”

“I don’t see any rat droppings nearby, so I guess the rats don’t care?”

“The rats in Japan didn’t leave any rat droppings even though they ran around in packs.”

I don’t know why, but that’s how it was in Japan at the time.

“I think it’s better to first assume there’s a rat and prepare for it. If it’s not a rat, it could be a cockroach, so prepare for that too.”

“What should I prepare?”

“Because they are afraid of fire, we have to spray napalm around the village and burn it down.”

“Considering the firebreak, we will need heavy equipment.”

First of all, if there were rats in the village, they had to be prevented from escaping. If they spread everywhere in the vast land of the United States, there would be no answer.

“Will it work?”

“First of all, it’s important to reduce their numbers. After all, it’s better to reduce them by 10 than by 100. Ah-We also have to prevent them from escaping to the sewers. We’ll spray napalm and set fire to the sewers, burn down all the empty houses, and do everything we can.”

“First, I will contact headquarters and increase the number of heavy equipment and personnel.”

“Okay, then.”

Reports that a monster rat like Japan may have appeared were relayed to the Department of Homeland Security. The Department of Homeland Security, already in chaos due to monster boars, monster bears, and monster wolves, was turned upside down again. Chief Dan Brown immediately contacted Maru.

[Is this the monster rat I saw in Japan?]

“I haven’t seen the actual thing, but judging by the lack of traces of the victims, that’s true.”

[The absence of a trace is a trace.]

Chief Dan Brown swallowed his stomach medicine again.

[Understood. I will request the National Guard to assist. I will send heavy equipment and personnel to the state.]

“Send me the flamethrower and napalm first. And some cockroach spray too.”

[A cockroach?]

“There were cockroaches in Japan, too. I think they were rats, but you never know if they’re cockroaches.”

[Whew- Okay. I’ll send you plenty of napalm and flamethrowers.]

“Is it possible by helicopter?”

A moment of silence followed.

[Airplane crashes are on the rise.]

The cause is bird strike.

The moment a helicopter or an airplane lowers its altitude, the birds start to swoop in. Chief Dan Brown’s voice was somber as he spoke about the strange bird behavior that started near Yellowstone National Park and is now spreading across the United States.

[···So, until the cause is identified and countermeasures are established, it seems that helicopter support will be difficult.]

It wasn’t like the sky was completely closed. It was definitely dangerous. For every 10 aircraft taking off, 2 or 3 would crash. Let’s assume that 20 to 30% would be lost in takeoffs and landings. Would you be able to easily choose air transportation?

Even the crash rate was rising steeply. In this situation, transporting by helicopter? It was difficult. There was no clear evidence that it was a monster rat, and it was difficult to conduct a transport operation with a risk of at least 20-30% loss based on the evidence alone.

[Some in the military are talking about using chemical weapons. They are talking about providing antidotes to civilians near the operation area, sealing their houses as much as possible, and then spraying them over a wide area in the habitats where the rabid animals appear.]

In the current situation, it was impossible to evacuate citizens on a large scale. So, let’s carry out the operation even if it means making some sacrifices.

“Won’t groundwater, drinking water, and soil be polluted?”

Sacrifice is sacrifice, but will it be possible to become an admiral after that?

[Admiral is possible only if operating in certain limited areas.]

The United States, which had been preparing for World War III, was also prepared for radiological warfare and biochemical warfare. The military insisted on an operation that took this into account.

If it were any other place, I would have fired a tactical nuke, but the area where the monsters are currently appearing is, of all places, the Yellowstone National Park, home to the volcano.

If the Yellowstone volcano were to erupt from the shock of a nuclear explosion, the entire North American continent would be devastated. So instead of nuclear weapons, let’s use poison gas.

Maru, who had no idea that Manager Dan Brown would talk in such detail, listened quietly.

[Mr. Vladimiru and his colleagues are the only people in Japan who have seen the secret laboratory in person and fought the test subjects there.]

Vladimirov and his colleagues were among those who could react most deceitfully to the strange events that were now beginning to occur in the United States.

If what they had planned had been successful and Vladimir Maru had been dissected, any advice or countermeasures for what would happen next would have been lost as well.

Chief Dan Brown continued in a serious voice.

[If there is a method you think is best, please tell me frankly.]

Maru readily agreed to Manager Dan Brown’s words, who said that he would not listen to him in any way.

“I think it would be better to postpone the poison gas operation.”

[So what should we do with the monsters? They are gradually expanding their territory. Right now it is a nearby village, but it is possible that they will soon descend on a small urban area.]

“Did the military have no other ideas besides poison gas?”

[There have been suggestions to use armored units and attack with anti-tank missiles, but in reality, this is not easy.]

“Let’s sort this out first and then we can talk again.”

[Yes, that’s right.]

I decided to postpone the Yellowstone monster story until after I cleared out this town.

As the sun was starting to set, several pieces of heavy equipment and armored vehicles carrying National Guard troops, Homeland Security agents, and FBI agents arrived all at once.

[Why the Federal Bureau of Investigation?]

“They said they would investigate this village-wide missing person’s case?”

Kim Yang’s expression suddenly changed to ‘What the…’ and he glanced at the new arrivals.

[The military was supposed to come too?]

“The chief said he was requesting support from the National Guard, and they came. But they said it was a military operation using napalm and that they had to take command.”

Kim Yang looked at Maru.

‘Are you okay?’

‘It’s okay.’

‘Is it real?’

‘then.’

Isn’t that great? They were applauding and welcoming the fact that they were taking responsibility and doing things on their own. I hope they don’t waste time talking about command authority and investigative authority. It seemed like they had no intention of doing that.

“Tell them to do what they want and we’ll go.”

[really?]

Miss Kim was delighted.

[Okay.]

The National Guard and the FBI tried to catch the two, but to no avail. The scene was left to the two agencies to handle on their own, with the Department of Homeland Security seemingly absent.

“Thank you for your hard work today.”

“It feels like we started and never finished, but what can we do? They said they would do it.”

“There are more neighborhoods where we have lost contact, so we are going to check on them.”

Maru nodded at the Homeland Security agent who was trying to ask for cooperation. It was in the direction of the camp set up by the National Guard and the FBI.

“When you go, take a few people from over there with you.”

“Haha- is it really necessary to go that far?”

“Seeing you going back now, I think we’ll be seeing each other often in the future.”

“···That won’t be the case.”

Maru shrugged his shoulders and held out his hand with a face that said, ‘If you’re not going to take them, why are we?’ It meant that they should shake hands and part ways. The agent let out a small breath and shook Maru’s hand.

======

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Ahead of the town’s burning operation, a National Guard commander and an FBI agent sit together.

The blockade and burning of the town was to be carried out by the National Guard. The FBI insisted that every home be searched before burning the town.

“I have no problem with the National Guard having operational control. I just wish they would respect the FBI.”

“So what do you want to do?”

“I would like to search before incineration.”

“Search?”

“They say there might be monster rats or giant cockroaches, but there are no witnesses or evidence. What if that’s not the case?”

“······.”

“Isn’t it possible that there is evidence of something else, or that there are survivors hiding in places like panic rooms?”

That was the FBI’s position. They thought that the Department of Homeland Security was too swayed by one man’s words. They acknowledged that he was very capable, but look at the situation now.

Wasn’t there a possibility that there might be survivors? It was dangerous to see them calmly talking about a plan to surround and burn down all the houses without even searching them. And the National Guard also agreed that it was ‘dangerous.’

“Let’s do that. It’ll take hours to dig a firebreak and blockade the town anyway. But once the blockade is complete, we’ll start the incineration operation right away, so please hurry.”

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[Chi-i-ik- Clear-]

[Beep- Clear- Going up to the second floor.]

[Chi-i-ik – Going underground.]

Two federal agents and eight National Guard members began searching the empty house.

Click- click-

“I think the power went out.”

“Check to see if there is a problem with the circuit breaker.”

One of the soldiers nodded and went out of the living room.

One of the FBI agents picked up a piece of carpet that had been left on the floor.

When I looked at it in the light, the red marks were clearly visible.

It was a piece of carpet stained with blood.

“I think this is it.”

The piece of carpet that Vladimir Kalin, who is cherished by the Department of Homeland Security, mentioned. If there is something like that, should we secure it as evidence or just leave it?

The agent who had placed the piece of carpet in a plastic bag examined the floor with a flashlight. As expected, dark stains remained here and there.

Click- click-

Evidence photographs are included.

“There are traces here too.”

When I shined a light under the sofa, I saw something like a hole in the floor.

“Push the sofa.”

The sofa was pushed aside with a creaking sound. And the mark was revealed. A hole in the floor.

“What kind of hole is this?”

The bottom of the hole seemed to be connected to the basement. When I turned the flash to the side, I could see the marks that had been hidden behind the sofa. Marks of something gnawing and scratching. The walls were scratched and gnawed here and there, leaving holes.

“···There are traces on this side.”

“This is···.”

Tudadadak-

The sound of gunfire echoed through the hole dug underground. The agents also drew their pistols and bent down.

Kkaaaah–

The scream, which seemed to be drawn out and then blocked, was cut off for a moment.

[Chi-ik- What’s going on?]

[Beep- I hear a noise coming from underground.]

[Everyone gather in the living room.]

In an instant, soldiers gathered in front of the stairs leading down to the basement, which appeared to be the living room on the first floor.

“Randy, Robero, Sam.”

As the three people whose names were called slowly descended the stairs to the basement, the walls around them began to shake.

Kugugug-

Something was moving in the wall.

Tick ​​tock tock-

The tactical light flickered as he turned the gun in the direction of the sound. There was nothing outwardly unusual. The sergeant looked left and right. There was nothing but sound.

“Boss!”

“Sergeant Noren!”

The soldiers asked what to do. Just as Sergeant Noren was about to swallow his dry saliva, Corporal Randy, who was the first to come down the stairs, started swearing and shooting.

“FUCK!!!”

Tudadadadadak!

“Randy!”

The sergeant shouted Randy’s name, but there was no answer. Something black and thick stuck to the corporal’s feet as he desperately fired his gun while swearing.

Kkaaaak!

The writhing things surged up, filling up the walls, floors, and stairs, riding the screams. Robero and Sam, who were in awkward positions while going down the stairs, also started shooting like crazy. The two people were caught in the wave of writhing things before they could even empty a single magazine.

Let’s open our mouths in pain, and let’s writhe through our open mouths.

mouse?

“Everybody get out the fuck!”

The moment the soldiers were about to go outside, the ceiling collapsed and rats fell from above. With a squeaking sound, a hole appeared in the wall. Rats poured out of the hole.

In an instant, the floor, the walls, and the ceiling were covered in rats everywhere.

Pavabababak!

CRACK – A rat fell from the ceiling, latched onto my forearm, and sunk its teeth into it. A chunk of flesh the size of my thumb fell off.

!!!

Before he could even groan, the rat clinging to his neck began to bite him. Unable to bear the pain, his arm pulled the trigger and shook the gun in all directions.

The gun barrel that had been punching a hole in the wall turned sideways and pointed at the body of a comrade.

Puppupupupup!

A soldier fell with a dull impact. He thought he was saved by his bulletproof vest, but the floor was already swarming with rats. In an instant, he was covered in rats and decomposed alive.

Please save me, hoping for rescue. The raised arm was torn here and there, revealing red muscle and pale bone.

Just a few seconds? Ten seconds?

Sergeant Noren, who had been firing in all directions, threw himself out of the window. When he broke the living room window and went outside, what he saw was a swarm of thousands of rats sweeping through the defense camp.

The flamethrower mounted on the wheeled armored vehicle spit fire, but it could not burn the hordes of rats rushing in from all directions at the same time. The soldier manning the flamethrower was instantly defeated, and the hordes of rats poured in through the open hatch.

Flames began to rise from afar, as if surrounding the village. A wall of fire began to surround the village. There were rats everywhere. Flames began to rise everywhere.

Hot.

A sharp pain stabbed Sergeant Noren’s ankle. His Achilles tendon snapped and he collapsed to the ground, his face covered with rats.

Moments later, a huge flame engulfed the village.

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Wheeeeeeeeing-

Kim Yang clung to Maru’s back. I wondered why he was so obsessed with motorcycles, but he realized that this was the kind of fun it was. Kim Yang nodded.

If I had walked, it would have taken 3-4 hours, but if I rode a motorcycle, it would have taken less than 20-30 minutes. As soon as I arrived at the hideout, I found myself humming a tune as I thought about taking a shower and getting some rest.

A motorcycle that was speeding along the road suddenly began to slow down.

?

Squeak-

??

Maru suddenly stopped the motorcycle and said to Kim Yang.

[That exosuit rats couldn’t tear it apart, right?]

What all of a sudden?

[It was also fire resistant.]

Yes? Fire?