Chapter 404 - The Demon of the Disposal Plant
The Disposal Plant, due to its nature, was located in a remote area devoid of homes and shops, a desolate place.
The continent's largest city, Beltoria, naturally had several disposal plants, and this was just one of them. It wasn't particularly special, but the dirty and unkempt appearance visible from a distance made it seem eerie, especially for those familiar with the stories of the undead.
If someone told me there was a secret undead research facility here, I wouldn’t find it surprising at all. The atmosphere would be even more intense at night.
"We were told there was an evacuation order, but there are still a few people inside. Just as Moore said, it looks like we hit the jackpot."
"That’s great. It’s so straightforward, I like it."
"Indeed. We don’t have to search the entire disposal plant, which is a relief."
A conscientious administrator might keep a disposal plant clean, but this place looked like it was permeated with a foul stench no matter how you looked at it.
Some might say it suits people like us, who mostly operate in the back alleys and underground. Garbage disposal and hazardous waste management are dirty and dangerous jobs that most people wouldn’t want to do. Yet, they are essential, and everyone acknowledges that. However, such jobs are often low-paying.
I think these jobs should be well-compensated, but the authorities are stingy with anything that doesn’t bring profit.
So, who takes on these jobs? Who would do such dirty, dangerous work for meager pay?
Regular, law-abiding folks would only do it if they were unusually eccentric. Instead, it’s a job for those who can’t live an ordinary life.
Part of our line of work is to take on these administrative jobs and assign them to less-than-lawful individuals, allowing them to earn a living.
In a world far from professional ethics, legal egalitarianism, or the rule of law, this division of labor naturally arises. If there are social hierarchies and no pretense of equality under the law, it’s only natural.
Even those who can’t walk in the sunlight need to earn money to survive. If they don’t resort to easy crime, unpleasant jobs are still jobs. They can at least earn enough to get by.
I, too, have to fight undead in seedy places. That’s the nature of our work.
However, I have the power, so I take on the unpleasant tasks in exchange for generous rewards.
"For now, let's get as close as we can by car."
We entered the plant’s premises in two vehicles, heading towards where we thought people might be. It was eerily quiet, with no people in sight despite the usual hustle and bustle. It felt as if everyone had vanished suddenly, with tools and equipment scattered around, creating a menacing atmosphere.
"It says 'No Entry' up ahead."
Moving deeper into the facility, we found ourselves in a fenced-off area.
"Doesn’t matter, just keep going."
The fence was secured with a padlock, but that was easily breached. The vehicle broke through with a slight impact and continued deeper, stopping in front of a building.
"I see, just as expected, there’s a strange magical reaction. Is that the undead?"
It was unusual that we could detect the magic without any stealth measures. A secret facility should have better defenses, suggesting something had gone wrong.
The Intelligence Department probably made a mistake, maybe destroying a magic device designed to conceal the facility during their investigation. Well, that’s in the past.
"Just the magical signature, we can’t tell the exact type, but it’s definitely an undead."
"Is something approaching?"
The distinctive magical aura was moving. We weren’t being stealthy, and the vehicle noise was easily heard. They seemed to be ready to unleash the undead on us without trying to deny the existence of the secret facility. They’re likely thinking of eliminating us outright. The Holy City has already announced the undead, so they might be acting out of desperation.
However, the number of undead isn’t significant, suggesting a lack of sustained combat capability.
Is this a stalling tactic? If they’re destroying evidence, Moore’s order to seize research findings would be jeopardized.
We need to act quickly, but we must be cautious in our fight against the undead. What should we do?
"Hmm… If we can avoid fighting in a confined space, that would be better."
We got out of the vehicles and prepared for the arrival of the undead.
"Two of you, go around to the back. Emary, focus on perimeter security."
Two volunteers quickly ran to the back of the building, likely to avoid the undead. I can’t blame them.
Emary also moved to a different position for perimeter security. Now, there were four of us: me, Gradena, and two others. The magical signature of the approaching undead was minimal, and there was no sign of reinforcements. With four of us, we should have more than enough force.
"Gradena, I’m counting on you here. I need to secure the ones inside."
"Hey, you’re the only one with experience in fighting undead."
"The enemy’s magic is weak, so they’re probably just cannon fodder. With the right tools, it shouldn’t be a problem. Just avoid getting hit and aim for the head."
We have equipment for fighting undead. I’ve already discussed my experience, and the magical signature indicates the enemies are manageable. In fact, I probably won’t even need to fight.
"Besides, if the research is destroyed, it would be disastrous. We can’t let that happen. It might already be too late, but we can’t ignore it."
"…I get it. Don’t forget, this is enemy territory. Stay alert."
I’ll leave this to them. Gradena and the others should handle it quickly and catch up.
From what I can sense and see, the building has three floors above ground and two below. The enemy is likely in the basement, so we can ignore the upper floors.
This building probably handles administrative tasks and controls magic devices, while the basement houses the secret area.
To catch the enemy quickly, I’ll head straight to the basement without searching the upper floors.
"This isn’t a TV show; we can’t afford to say, ‘Too late. ’"
Our goal is to seize the research findings, so there’s no time to waste. I broke a window, entered, and created a hole in the floor to drop down to the first basement level.
The next magical signature was further down. I considered doing the same, but I hesitated. The strong cold I felt when breaking through the floor was alarming.
"A freezer?"
It brought back memories of a noble’s home where not just ordinary bodies but also undead were stored in a freezer.
This is a disposal plant; a freezer doesn’t make sense. Clearly, this is where they’re hiding something.
Suppressing my disgust, I cast a light orb to check the area and then jumped into the cold air.
When I glanced inside, my eyes widened.
The freezer was much larger than I imagined, about the size of four classrooms.
Several beds were lined up with intervals, most of them occupied. Dead humans or already undead individuals. The freezer’s strong magical aura made it difficult to discern weaker magical signatures. I couldn’t tell just by a quick look.
But there was one existence I recognized immediately.
"What in the world is that?"
At the back of a bed, a being clearly different from a human, completely frozen white.
It was about two and a half meters tall, roughly humanoid, but with large, goat-like horns on its head. It was too large to be a human, and the horns were sinister, not fitting any known race. I hadn’t encountered such a creature in my studies. It must be an unknown magic beast.
"No use pondering. Let’s focus on the task."
Regardless, the fact that this is a secret undead research facility is clear. Now, it’s just a matter of completing the job.
Before leaving the room, I sealed the hole in the ceiling and used magic to secure the room. If the freezing unit can be controlled from elsewhere, it could potentially release the undead unnoticed. I don’t want to be caught off guard.
I hurried towards the human magical signatures, which were deeper in the facility.
The floor was vast, and the structure was far from simple. It felt like a typical secret facility, with a complex layout. The hallways were short and hard to see through, requiring passage through multiple doors.
Each door required a magical authentication key, and sometimes the door led to a room, not a hallway. It was a tedious process.
I had intended to be cautious to avoid giving the enemy too much time, but this was becoming a necessity.
I decided to go straight ahead, no matter what.
If a door led to a room, I’d just keep going. I pushed aside shelves and created holes in the walls, moving forward regardless of what was in the way.
This shortcut saved a lot of time.
I arrived at a room adjacent to where the humans were. I considered alerting Gradena via communication devices, but they didn’t work due to the interference from numerous magic devices. If necessary, I could break through the ceiling, but for now, I’d let it be.
I broke through the wall and entered the room, only to lock eyes with someone immediately.
"...Hurry up!"
"Y-Yes, sir!"
The room was large, cluttered with papers, devices, and tools. It was clearly a research facility, and definitely not what you’d expect in a disposal plant.
Several people were present, working on something. They seemed to be destroying evidence and preparing to evacuate, but it wasn’t clear what they were doing.
Even a brief observation made it obvious that they had noticed me emerging from the wall.
They were momentarily taken aback, but recognizing me as an intruder, they continued their work.
I didn’t know what they were doing, but I needed to stop them.
Quickly casting a spell, I used the stone floor to project short spikes, impaling everyone’s feet.
Those standing fell or crouched, and those sitting either collapsed or fell off their chairs.
Ignoring their screams of pain, I commanded,
"—Shut up!"
A gasp of fear echoed through the room.
They were intimidated by my magical presence, yet they were a pathetic bunch, bold in their actions but weak in spirit.
The room was filled with magic devices. If someone tried to use magic or a device, it would be difficult to detect with my magic alone. I kept a sharp eye out.
From the looks of it, there were no combatants. Despite their shady research, they lacked security personnel, which was disappointing.
Now, what to do? Trying to interrogate them could lead to a repeat of the previous incident where they self-destructed. These were valuable sources of information, and Moore’s order was to capture them alive. I decided against further provocation.
"We can’t end here. We finally succeeded!"
"Yes, yes... We must use it here. If not now, we’re finished."
"Stop! You’re putting us all in danger!"
I told them to be quiet, yet they were loud. I didn’t know what they were trying to do, but I wouldn’t let them.
One man, showing some grit, stood up despite the spike in his foot. I appreciated his effort, but that was as far as it went.
I tried to paralyze them, but my attempt was immediately neutralized. The equipment was indeed top-notch. Inspired by the first man, others began to stand, wincing in pain. They were showing unnecessary bravery.
"Stay still."
My voice, infused with magic, was effective in intimidating non-combatants. However, they seemed resolute despite my power, perhaps out of desperation.
Well, villains rarely follow orders quietly, especially fanatics.
I decided to take decisive action. I threw a metal ball at the first man, who fell forward, reaching out.
His resolve seemed to spread to the others, who also began to reach for something on the table.
What are they doing? It’s quite unsettling.
"Aaaaaaaaah!"
One man, driven by determination and fear, screamed incoherently. I silenced him with another metal ball.
More began to scream and act, forcing me to repeatedly throw metal balls.
They collapsed dramatically, clutching their injured stomachs.
But something had already been set in motion. An alarm blared, and a red light began to flash.
"Damn it, what’s happening?"
One man reached for the table and collapsed, likely triggering a device.
Alerted by the commotion, I waited to see what would happen. After about a minute, a heavy door at the back slowly slid open.
Under the tense atmosphere, a grotesque figure emerged. It was a giant, roughly two and a half meters tall and muscular, with large, goat-like horns. It was the same type as the one in the freezer, wearing only a loincloth. Its gray skin radiated no signs of life.
Its demonic face, with black eyes devoid of whites, was impossible to read. Its fanged mouth and savage demeanor sparked a primal fear.
"Is that an undead? This is a joke, isn’t it? It looks more like a demon."
The magical aura confirmed it was indeed an undead, different from a regular living being.
It was a being that could only be described as a demon. I hadn’t seen anything like it in the Forest of the Underworld. Perhaps it was there in the dark, but I ignored most undead at the time.
"H-Help!"
The giant entered the room with powerful strides, and a woman near the door shrieked in terror.
Responding to the sound, the demon reached out, grabbed her head, and crushed it with ease.
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This is the last update of the year. I hope to continue with weekly updates next year. Thank you for your support!
Please feel free to leave comments and feedback; it would genuinely make my day! I’m always happy to hear from you.
I’ve also posted an activity report, so feel free to check it out if you’re interested. But no pressure; I haven’t written anything groundbreaking. See you next time!