"[The Hexapod Mauler's territory lies approximately six hours north of our current position. I'm transmitting navigational markers to your neural interface.]"
"[Your path will take you through three distinct zones.
First, the familiar bruteneck hunting grounds—you should encounter minimal threats there.
Second, a canyon network with narrow passages and unstable terrain. Exercise caution; the rock faces are prone to sudden collapses.]"
"[The third zone is a dried riverbed system that leads directly to the creature's domain.
You'll know you're approaching when you see scattered remains and deep claw marks scoring the stone. The Mauler has claimed this territory for decades.]"
"[The creature inhabits a natural amphitheater—a bowl-shaped depression surrounded by steep rock walls with multiple cave openings.
This gives it tactical advantages. It can attack from elevated positions or retreat through various passages if threatened.]"
"[The Bio-Neural Core is located at the base of its skull, beneath heavy armor plating.
Direct assault won't work. You'll need to exploit environmental advantages or create openings through strategic use of your gravity manipulation.]"
"[Estimated mission duration: twelve to fifteen hours including travel and encounter.
I recommend carrying water and basic supplies.
Return immediately if conditions deteriorate beyond your capabilities.]"
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Tatehan left the spaceship with a backpack, a loaf of bread, and three bottles of water.
He was a water guy, that was why he'd packed so much. Since restoring the kitchen, he hadn't cooked a single meal. He'd just been eating bread, and today he carried one massive loaf. He had thought about taking two, but the size of this one— like two loaves crammed together, was enough.
It still made him wonder how bread had even gotten onto the spaceship, along with the other food items. The AI had explained it once: everything was preserved with some kind of magical tech. Every time he thought about it, he couldn't help being fascinated.
The path ahead was wide and scattered with small rocks, but further on he could already see a massive boulder. It looked like the spot where he'd killed a bruteneck before.
The air was thin but breathable, reminding him that even though mars had been terraformed to meet living conditions, it wasn't exactly like earth.
In fact, if he was just a normal human, a few seconds or rather minutes breathing this air would likely kill him.
After walking a distance, he paused and took a look at the Spaceship. Of course, he had looked at it so many times, now he could really see how broken it was, the level of work that needed to be done to it.
It was a lonely walk, and Tatehan knew it was going to be a boring one. He wished he had his mobile phone and his headphones. He would have been playing music to pass the time…
Music!
Was there any way to hear music on this planet? He loved it.
Back on Earth, reading and music were his favorite forms of art.
His mind drifted back to the AI's briefing. The task ahead was daunting, if he was being honest with himself. The dangerous terrain, the long hours, the Mauler itself…
Seven minutes later, he spotted a bruteneck.
There was no boulder to hide behind this time. Just standing there, staring at it, Tatehan felt a wave of unease for a moment.
Not because he couldn't kill it, brutenecks were easy to handle. But fighting one risked drawing others to his location, and that thought unsettled him. It sounded irrational, maybe even dumb, considering how weak they were. But fear wasn't always rational.
Firstly, there was no hiding place, secondly his original plan wasn't to engage in battles with brutenecks.
Finally, the bruteneck eyes met his, and for four seconds there, they paused, staring at each other.
He had expected the bruteneck to run at him like a zombie, arms wide and all that so he would take a shot at it.
But no…, the bruteneck instead howled. Doing so in such a ferocious manner that Tatehan became afraid.
What was the bruteneck trying to do?
Had its type of species just become smart overnight?
What was its aim for howling?
That was what a wolf normally does.
Tatehan looked around him, there were no boulders in this region, and he couldn't sight any brutenecks either. So what was its aim for calling for help?
But then, the bruteneck continued to howl, doing so like a maniac, like it was out of its mind, like it was a psychopath.
Psychopath…
Psychopath…
Psychopath…
That word lingered on Tatehan's mind longer than the others.
Shit!
Shit!
A glance at the bruteneck eyes made him realize. This one had googly eyes. Both to the other side, instead of where they ought to be facing.
Tatehan also looked at its mouth, it was drooling with foamy saliva.
His brain suddenly understood.
Even though basically all brutenecks were dumb, there were some who were dumber. By dumber, they were the ones who were mentally unstable.
It took his enhanced brain to quickly come to this conclusion right at the spot.
It made sense actually.
Even though the brutenecks were considered dumb to Tatehan, looking at it now, they were only doing what they knew how to do. The level their brains could function as a creature that was considered to be a 'monster'.
A normal bruteneck's aim in life is to wake up every day, roam around for food, perhaps engage in acts of reproduction before going to sleep…
Repeat.
Roam around for food, their food were other creatures, humans (any unfortunate one) and other lesser creatures. Maybe bugs even.
The carapace bruteneck would likely follow in this routine but do so with more viciousness and ferociousness.
But…, a mentally unstable bruteneck. A mad bruteneck would do the opposite.
Whereas a normal bruteneck is to try to attack Tatehan if it saw him, this would do the exact opposite which was…, doing something very stupid.
Howling.
It wasn't calling for help on purpose, but Tatehan realized the danger instantly.
What sounded like nonsense to the creature… would sound like a cry for help to every other bruteneck in the area.