Apocalypse: Building And Hoarding My Way Through.
Chapter 22: A World Of Monsters.

Chapter 22: A World Of Monsters.

Deep beneath the chaos city, a tall building stood, dominating the ground with an imposing presence. Men dressed in blue leathered security officers’ uniforms were stationed at vantage points, weapons ready, poised on the rooftop. From this elevated position, they prepared to eliminate any threat without being seen.

Vans and trailers of various sizes pulled up to the building’s entrance, their doors sliding open to reveal people dragging monsters of different shapes and unnatural forms, each shackled with heavy chains. The creatures fought against their restraints, roaring and thrashing, their guttural growls mixing with the incessant gunfire from the armed men. The air was filled with the chaotic mix of battle cries and gunshots.

Inside, the Axe Squad’s secret base buzzed with relentless activity. Rows of steel cells lined the walls, each containing a captured monster, its twisted body immobilized by chains and tranquilizers. Technicians and scientists moved with purpose, analyzing the physiology of the creatures and noting down their findings.

Matthew, one of the most recent captures, was dragged into a cell, his body trembling as it shifted erratically between human and monster form. His face was human, though his elongated fingernails hinted at something unnatural, and his joints emitted a sickening crack as he twisted his head in a full 360-degree turn, a feat far beyond human capabilities.

A burly man in black attire with a single eye patch stood tall, his piercing blue eye scanning the scene with a sense of satisfaction. His uniform bore the Axe Squad’s emblem: a silver axe set against a crimson background. He stepped forward, addressing his team with pride.

"Welcome back," he announced, his deep voice laced with satisfaction. "These monsters you’ve brought in will be a fine addition to our collection."

The others bowed their heads in respect immediately, not daring to look at the burly man in the eye.

The burly man’s gaze then landed on Matthew, who had regained his human face, leaving a puzzled look on the man’s face.

"You... you can retain your human form," he muttered, a flicker of curiosity in his one good eye. His stare remained fixed on Matthew, who looked back with empty, uncomprehending eyes, his mind apparently lost. The burly man could see the monster’s instincts were still at play beneath the surface, marked by Matthew’s occasional unsettling cracking sounds and his unnatural, inhuman abilities.

Dr. Elara Vex, the squad’s chief scientist, a middle-aged man with a worn but sharp look approached the burly man. "Commander Victor, we’ve made significant breakthroughs in understanding these creatures’ physiology. We can harness their strength and agility for our own purposes."

Victor’s eyes narrowed, his gaze still on Matthew’s cell. "Excellent work, Doctor. Our goal is to create an army of super-soldiers, obedient to specific humans and deadly to the rest. And that one..." he gestured at Matthew, "I need you to experiment on him. He could be special as he seems... different."

Dr. Elara Vex gave a short nod before moving away to direct his team.

Nearby, a group of engineers worked on a massive mech suit, heavily armored with limbs ending in razor-sharp claws, meticulously designed to mimic the monsters’ lethal capabilities.

"Sir, the ’Behemoth’ prototype is nearly ready," an engineer reported with pride.

Victor nodded approvingly. "Good. We’ll need it for the next phase of our plan."

As he turned away, Victor’s expression twisted into a cold grin. "By the time this apocalypse runs its course, humanity will be nothing more than a memory. The world will be mine, with these monsters at my command." He murmured under his breath, his voice filled with dark promise. "A world of monsters... and I’ll be their king."

_________

Meanwhile, Scarlett and her group sat on the cold, tiled floor of their hiding place, each lost in thoughts filled with grief and despair. Rose sat a bit apart from them, her shoulders shaking as she wept silently.

The echoing roars of monsters, gunfire, and the screeching of tires had faded into an unsettling silence.

"What exactly is the Axe Squad doing?" Garvin’s voice broke through the quiet, prompting everyone to look his way. "Capturing monsters... killing humans? What’s their endgame?"

"I get why they’d capture monsters," Louise added, frowning. "But killing humans? That’s just... wrong. And where are they getting the resources for all this? Those vans, the guns...something’s off."

Garvin sighed heavily, nodding. "I really don’t understand anything."

Rose wiped her eyes and stood up, determination flashing in her gaze. "Matthew’s still human. Did you see? He was changing back, just before they took him. We need to save him. He’s not a monster, he’s still human."

"Save him?" Louise scoffed, his lips twisting in a smirk. "You want to risk all our lives? The Axe Squad’s not only killing monsters; they’re killing humans too! And you want us to storm their stronghold for a monster? Are you trying to get us all killed?"

"He’s not a monster!" Rose shouted, her voice thick with desperation as tears streamed down her face. "The Axe Squad is brutal, they’ll kill him if he stays too long with them." She then turned her gaze towards Scarlett. "You can help me. You’ve got the pendant, and your fire abilities. With that, we could stand a chance."

"That’s insane," Garvin interjected, his tone serious. "You want Scarlett to put her life on the line for this? Get a grip, Rose. Matthew’s... he’s gone. You need to accept that."

"But Scarlett was bitten once too, wasn’t she?" Rose shot back, anger flashing in her eyes. "She was able to control it, why can’t Matthew? He can control himself. The Axe Squad will kill him if we don’t save him. I supported Scarlett when everyone else wanted her gone. Can’t you believe Matthew deserves the same chance?"

’What’s going on with Matthew, system?’ Scarlett wondered, her mind racing.

Ding!

{Matthew’s monster type has unique abilities. He can disguise himself as human to trick others, only to revert to his true monstrous form later.}

{He creates an illusion, a facade of humanity. But he is a monster through and through, and sooner or later, he will reveal his true self.}

Scarlett exhaled sharply. I knew it, she thought.