Chapter 69: Let’s Create a Subjugation Memorial Park
“Is it dead?”
“Unknown.”
This conversation took place while they were excavating the buried Worm.
Two hours had already passed since they began their work, and the surroundings had grown completely dark. Although they had night vision equipment, the work area was illuminated by multiple high-intensity lights due to aerial filming from a drone hovering 20,000 meters above. Night vision footage tends to be plagued with noise at such altitudes.
“However, the temperature of the Worm’s body is gradually approaching the ambient temperature. There are no signs of unnatural fluctuations or traces of life activity, so it is highly likely that it is already dead.”
“Monsters seem to have some incomprehensible ecology, which is quite frightening.”
“Yes, Ma’am. We are prepared for any eventuality. In the worst-case scenario, even if we face total annihilation, it won’t be a problem.”
“That would be a waste, so I hope it doesn’t come to that.”
The Commander, Eve, sighed, wondering if this was a bad omen, but ultimately, the work continued steadily.
“Ma’am, we have completed the exposure of the Worm’s head.”
“Okay, just a moment. Akane, let’s check it together.”
Bored with the monotonous footage of dirt being dug up, Eve glanced at the strategic map alongside Akane, but was called back by RINGO and took her seat at the command post. RINGO stood to her right, while Akane stood to her left.
“This is the area where we severed it with the railgun. It seems regeneration had likely begun. The ore-like outer layer appears to be growing slightly inward, and there are incomplete fangs that seem to resemble a mouth emerging in the center.”
“…If we remove the mosaic, will it be gruesome?”
“Yes, Ma’am. It will be gruesome. I do not recommend it.”
The footage displayed the (new) head of the Worm, captured from a distance. However, the Worm was obscured by a mosaic, and a wireframe model illustrating the outer layer, fangs, and oral cavity was provided for explanation. RINGO had edited the footage to spare the Commander any distress.
“Well, I wouldn’t want to see it anyway, so that’s fine. So, what’s the situation?”
“Yes, Ma’am. The Worm’s life activity has undoubtedly ceased. Body fluids are leaking from the oral cavity, which appears to be a mixture of blood and muscle. This is likely due to the violent shaking caused by the pressure from the Bunker Buster.”
“…I really don’t want to imagine that.”
“I want to verify how the underground pressure acted on the target… RINGO, can you provide me with information?”
“Yes, that’s fine, Akane. I will copy the information into your personal archive. Please check for any uncertainties.”
“Thank you.”
As Akane leaned in with sparkling eyes to scrutinize the mosaic footage, Eve (the older sister) pulled back slightly and reminded her to take it easy. She needed to ensure that Akane didn’t delve into any mad research. She made a mental note to mention it to RINGO later.
“It doesn’t seem like regeneration is progressing, and it’s hard to confirm just from the footage, but the internal structure appears to be deformed and crushed by gravity. We will continue to investigate other areas, but if it doesn’t move despite all this stimulation, we can safely assume it is dead.”
“Hmm… So, it seems the interior of the Worm doesn’t have the abnormal toughness like the Rain Croin.”
“Yes, Ma’am. While the outer layer seems to maintain an abnormal hardness, the interior is structured at a physically reproducible level. It is estimated that applying pressure or shock above a certain threshold causes shockwaves to circulate internally, leading to fatal destruction.”
“RINGO… does that mean the outer layer is too hard, causing the shockwaves to reflect?”
“Exactly, Akane. Impacts below a certain threshold are absorbed or dispersed by the outer layer and do not transmit to the interior, but once the capacity is exceeded, it spreads internally, resulting in damage.”
Upon hearing that explanation, Commander Eve muttered, “So, it’s like the inside is a sausage…” but RINGO ignored her. That was definitely not a comparison to entertain.
“That said, we cannot predict what might happen. We will continue to excavate while maintaining vigilance.”
“Please do. If anything comes up, let me know. For now, I’ll head to the archive room to organize some information. Akane, will you come with me?”
“I’ll go with you.”
“I’ll accompany you.”
In the end, the Worm was confirmed to be completely dead.
They excavated the entire creature and pulled it to the surface, but there was no sign of movement whatsoever. Since there was no space to bring the Worm back intact, they proceeded to dismantle it on-site. Although they struggled a bit with cutting through the hard outer layer, the rest of the disassembly went smoothly without any issues.
Ultimately, they decided to transport it in three parts, passing through the Second Fortress on their way to The Tree.
When they divided it, the middle section of the body maintained its shape, but the head and tail collapsed under their own weight. This phenomenon was likely due to the mysterious structural enhancement from the unknown crystals observed in the Rain Croin, which reverted to its original properties once severed.
The target of the Worm’s structural enhancement was likely its outer layer. It appeared to be a biologically improbable tissue composed of a complex mixture of metal, rock, and biological material. While they awaited further investigation results, RINGO suggested that compared to creatures like earthworms or nightcrawlers, the structure might be overly simplistic. It was possible that most of its biological functions were sustained by powers beyond the comprehension of magic.
After finishing loading the recovered samples onto the helicopter, all that remained was to fill in the crater. Ultimately, they ended up tilling the ground evenly from about 40 meters underground to the surface. Perhaps in the future, this area might become a forest. While the expression might be a stretch, there was a certain amount of organic material mixed in that could serve as fertilizer, so it was likely that a meadow would emerge within a year.
“It’s a bit of a strange spot, but should we set up a rest area? It would be a shame not to.”
“Yes, Ma’am. It would be possible to crush the rocks into gravel and compact them. Anything beyond that would require additional materials.”
“Then, level the ground and place some carved-out rocks to make it look nice. It might become a tourist attraction!”
And it did.
That place would become a site of legend, where the Paraiso had once repelled a gigantic monster in a single blow, and from the buried corpse, plants sprouted, eventually transforming into the forest it was today, a tale long recounted among travelers on the road.
“Now then.”
After tidying up all matters concerning the Worm.
By the way, the Worm was currently being transported aboard the SR-1 Albatross to The Tree. In just a few hours, it would likely be brought into the research facility.
“The envoy has arrived in Flatara City. What’s the situation?”
“Yes, Ma’am. As scouts, we have dispatched one guard and a Communicator. We have released a group of reconnaissance robots, so we should be able to confirm the detailed status within a day or two. Currently, they have been ushered into the lord’s mansion as a preliminary visit. The discussions are… well, going smoothly, I would say. They will likely stay in Flatara City for about a day or two.”
On the strategic map, a yellow icon (a stylized fox girl) was displayed over Flatara City. Yellow indicated “under assessment.” If it turned blue, it would signify an ally’s territory, while red would indicate an enemy’s territory. Green would denote their own base, but that was not relevant at the moment.
Originally, this function was meant to facilitate the movement of many units and provide an overview of each faction, but currently, only four icons were visible (The Tree was too far away to be displayed on the map), making it feel rather sparse. They wanted to enhance it further.
“For the gifts for their stay, we can draw from the trading goods we brought.”
“Do we need to bring gifts?”
“Yes, Ma’am. After all, the other party is a lord. Even though we are a formal envoy, we are merely passing through, and while the envoy leader has a family name, they hold no real power. It’s just a means to avoid causing any waves.”
“…Ugh… dealing with people is such a hassle…”
The recluse lamented.
“Yes, Ma’am. Leave the negotiations to me.”
As they continued their conversation, the fox girl icon in Flatara City turned red.
“…Wait!? RINGO!?”
“I apologize.”