Seeing Curtis standing, the soldiers were in disbelief.
"How is this possible? We already killed him!" one of them murmured.
Without giving them time to react, Curtis charged forward and began a massacre. The soldiers' formation was dismantled in seconds. Unable to fight back, many were killed before realizing just how terrifying he truly was.
"Requesting backup! We've been attacked by a biochemical weapon! We have many casualties already!" the captain shouted over the radio, panicking as he watched his men fall one by one, unable to even resist.
Angela watched it all unfold, pain in her eyes. The monstrous eyes that had emerged on Curtis's arm found her.
All living beings infected by the G-virus reproduce by implanting an embryo (G Young Body) into another living host.
Unless rejected by the host, the embryo undergoes a gradual cellular invasion process, infecting the host's cells on a molecular level to the point of rewriting their DNA.
Once the mutation is complete, the host can continue the self-replication cycle. It is believed that G-Types seek genetically compatible hosts to avoid rejection or an immune response to the virus.
That would explain why William Birkin pursued his daughter, Sherry—and why Curtis Miller was pursuing his sister, Angela.
Seeing him approach, Angela felt a chill down her spine. Knowing that thing had once been her brother made her hate the virus even more.
"Quick, let's get out of here!" said Javier, grabbing Angela by the hand and running. Curtis immediately chased after them.
Realizing he couldn't shake him, Javier drew his gun and fired, but the bullets bounced off Curtis's mutated claws, doing no damage. One of the remaining soldiers threw a grenade at the bridge above them. The structure collapsed with the explosion, crushing Curtis for a moment.
Javier stopped and set Angela down.
"Thank you..." she said, breathless.
"This isn't the time for thanks. Curtis won't die that easily," Javier replied, watching the rubble.
Only five or six soldiers remained, all of them injured. The security system began the disinfection process, spraying the entire building.
[The building will be destroyed in ten minutes. All exits have been sealed,] the system voice announced.
"Shit, we're still inside!" a soldier shouted, panicked. Everyone rushed toward the elevator.
As the others reached safety, the rubble began to shift. Curtis was evolving. Javier heard his roar echo from the ruins.
"Go ahead!" Javier ordered. He and Angela ran back into danger.
Curtis emerged from the debris, completely transformed into a grotesque, unrecognizable creature. Angela raised her submachine gun and opened fire. Curtis charged, ignoring the bullets. Javier tried to distract him, but it didn't work.
Just as Curtis was about to grab Angela, Javier hoisted her over his shoulders and ran with her.
"Why is he chasing me?!" Angela asked, stunned.
"Because you're his blood relative. He wants to use you to evolve. He's not your brother anymore, Angela!"
Angela looked back, firing while riding on Javier's back. Curtis dodged the bullets with animal-like agility.
Only seconds remained before the explosion. Javier and Angela reached the lower canal. Without hesitation, he jumped into the water with her. The explosion followed right behind. Flames consumed Curtis.
The two swam away. Angela ran out of air. Javier moved in and sealed her mouth with his, sharing his breath. She looked at him, surprised but relieved.
They reached a passage blocked by glass. Javier shattered it with a kick, and the current pulled them through. At the end of the tunnel, he grabbed the edge with one hand, holding Angela with the other. When they finally stopped, they were exhausted.
Angela looked into the abyss ahead, still shaken. Javier had saved her life so many times that his image was beginning to be engraved in her heart.
A ferocious roar shattered the silence. Curtis emerged from the other side, now with a long, mutated tail—more monstrous than ever.
[Leak detected. Initiating infected area eradication protocol,] the system warned. The ground beneath them began to tremble and collapse.
[We have to end this now, or it'll be too late,] Javier said. Angela nodded. Together, they raised their weapons and opened fire.
Curtis charged. The bullets had no effect. Javier then grabbed a rocket launcher. A direct hit brought Curtis down.
"Where did you get that?!" Angela asked, shocked.
"Found it on the way," Javier replied with a slight smile. He fired another rocket. Curtis was blasted to the edge of the platform, about to fall.
But with a swift movement, Curtis's tail wrapped around Angela's ankles and pulled her in.
"Javier!" she screamed.
Javier ran and grabbed her just in time, while Curtis hung on by his tail.
"Let me go! Or we'll both fall!" Angela cried in desperation.
"I told you I'd stay with you." Javier drew his Desert Eagle.
"Goodbye, Curtis."
He pulled the trigger. The bullet struck the creature's head. The tail slowly released.
Curtis fell into the abyss.
Javier pulled Angela up. The system detected the end of the threat and sealed off the lower area.
Angela, exhausted and emotional, threw herself into Javier's arms. With tears in her eyes, she kissed him softly—grateful to be alive, and even more so that he was by her side.
(End of the chapter)
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."