Mutagen

<strong>Day 202 - 9:21 AM - Marivelles Bay, Village of Sisiman, Municipality of Mariveles, Province of Bataan</strong>

The Bay of Mariveles. Far different from what it looked like in the past, it was now smaller as the land encompassed its boundaries. It was about eight kilometers away northwest of Corregidor Island in the past. Now, it was only around six kilometers away from the northwestern beach of Corregidor Island.

With the Mt. San Miguel and Sisiman Lighthouse at the southmost beach of the village, it was a pretty popular tourist spot for those who wanted a scenic view of Mariveles Bay and Corregidor Island further away.

Of course, everything was now abandoned. The foundation of the lighthouse managed to survive the earthquake, but more than three-fourths of the structure fell and got buried beneath the new land.

Right now, however... This abandoned place was inhabited by a large metallic cube. It was no other than the [Mini Cube]. The floating vessel of the [Humanoid Chimera], Chimetrice, and the [Elder Succubus], Illia.

Well, the [Mini Cube] just stayed here for no more than a day so far. But as it seemed, the group they were waiting for returned too early somehow.

And now, using the destroyed base of the lighthouse, a campsite was erected for the group to rest in. Since Mark's group returned late at night yesterday, the discussion was rescheduled for the next morning. Apparently, they watched the entire commotion in the settlement, which did not calm down even before they left.

Surely, Mark's deed was not something that could be easily forgotten by those that witnessed it, not to mention that the fire from the burning base of the Powder Gang had yet to burn out completely.

"You all returned too early. Did something go wrong?"

Illia asked Mark and his group as they settled down to their seats.

The one to answer was not Mark, however.

"The remnants of this country's government are so messed up," Spera spoke. "They had Mark on their wanted list and are proactively hunting him."

With Spera's words as the start, Illia and Chimetrice heard the details from Mark.

"Woah. Are those people idiots?"

That was Illia's reaction.

"People in the past are considered barbarians compared to modern humans. Still, they are way better in returning favors."

Chimetrice voiced his disappointment.

In Bay City, Mark saved the settlement from the hands of [Auraboros]. There were casualties beforehand, especially those sacrificed to revive the [Flame Demon], Gar'Vlam, which could not be helped. However, things would have gone worse if not for Mark's interference.

While it might just be in Bay City, it was still a part of the remnants of this country, not to mention governed by the military. And it was under the government.

Mark did a good thing for them, only to be turned into a wanted criminal for killing a few politicians that schemed against his family. Yes, vigilante justice was shunned by the law, but that was the past. The remnants of the government were even letting drug addicts rule a portion of their territory. Yet, they were chasing after the man that saved their asses.

And it was all because of greed for something they did not have. The greed for the ability to turn people into [Mutators] and [Evolvers] without any consequences.

"What are the plans now?" Illia asked. "Are we heading south already?"

At the question, Mark glanced at Mei.

"Not yet," Mark answered. "We'll stay here for today to cool down the situation. Then, we will sneak inside the fortress walls tonight."

"You and Mei?" Illia asked, looking at the two. "What for?"

"We'll just meet some people," Mark replied. "It won't take that long, so everyone should just stay here."

Everyone understood Mark's words, even the little girls. Since Mark and Mei would need to sneak inside a heavily guarded place, they could not come.

As for why Mark and Mei would go infiltrate the place, it was for personal reasons. Although they did manage to meet Mark's friends in the White Snake Gang and learn about the situation of the others, there were still some people they wanted to meet.

For Mei, it was Angeline and Paula. They were her first true friends, after all.

And for Mark, it was actually the wife of General Perez, Angelise. He did not intend to meet her personally but just see her current state. Mark did not know why he wanted to check, but it may be because she resembled Freed's mother. There was no need to mention that Angelise should have a direct connection with Freed's ancestry.

With these plans in mind, Mark's group spent the day around the ruins of the lighthouse. They got attacked a few times by either the [Infected] or [Feral Evolved Animals]. But with the whole group together, these threats did not even stand a chance.

***

<strong>Day 202 - 8:11 PM - Marivelles Bay, Village of Sisiman, Municipality of Mariveles, Province of Bataan</strong>

Time sure passed fast while idling around. It was already a couple of hours past sunset. After Mark and his group ate their dinner, it was time for Mark and Mei to depart.h

"I'll leave the girls to you two, alright?"

Mark said to Spera and Feng Zhiruo.

"There is no need to worry."

Feng Zhiruo nodded.

"Yeah, just go." Spera chimed in. "And return quickly."

"You three behave while we are gone, alright?"

Mei said to the three girls, making Mark shrug at the side.

There was no need to tell the three to behave. The most childish one, Miracle, was not even as willful as human children.

And there, the two left while being watched by the rest of the group.

"Seriously, why won't they leave their children to me?"

Illia complained while watching Mark and Mei fly away.

And to Illia's complaint, Spera replied.

"You should look at yourself first before asking."

That was right. There was no way that Mark and Mei would leave their daughters to a Succubus. What kinds of odd behaviors would they learn if they were left under a lusty being's care.

***

Leaving the campsite at the ruined lighthouse, Mark and Mei flew hidden by the darkness of the night sky. Since it was a cloudless night, the two flew high as they possibly could.

"Gege, do you know where they are staying?"

Mei asked Mark as they flew over the waters of western Manila Bay.

Of course, Mei could not help but ask. Their conversation with General Perez was cut off too short. It was barely even a conversation.

"It's at the northwest side near the northern gates," Mark replied. "General Perez is renting a whole building for his family and loyal subordinates. Carren and Markron said that the rent gets more expensive the closer it is to the center of the Safezone. Since General Perez doesn't have much to offer, they could only get a building near the walls."

It was a piece of information that Mark learned from Carren and Markron when they talked the other night on the roof of the base of the White Snake Gang. After they apologized for the past events, they talked about several things that night. It included why the gang was named as it was. The name was definitely not in Carren nor Markron's taste from what Mark remembered.

In any case, Mark learned the general area of where General Perez and his entourage stayed.

"Rent..." Mei murmured. "It's definitely not paid with money."

"Of course not." Mark nodded. "The payment varied from supplies to materials from [Evolved Animals] or [Mutated Infected]. Everything is converted to credits, though. They started using those materials to make weapons and armor sold at the trading area near the gates. From what I know, General Perez actually used the research papers I brought from Infanta as initial payment."

"Aren't they gathering [Mutators] and [Evolvers] inside?" Mei asked as she thought of something. "What if those people can't pay the rent."

"Well, I don't know about that." Mark shook his head. "Maybe they have some free space for those people but not enough to live comfortably. Or else, renting houses and buildings won't have meaning."

Mark could only make an assumption as he did not have any information to answer Mei's question. However, what he thought was actually on point. The enticement of the Safezone was not exactly the dwellings but the safety behind the walls. Thus, most people inside did not mind the small rooms they were given initially as they could move once they had enough to pay the rent somewhere else.

Flying across the sky, Mark and Mei reached the sky above the Safezone rather quickly. The only things left for them to do were to find a secluded place and the right timing to fly down.

It was easy to find a good place to land. After all, they were looking from the sky. The timing also came fast. The patrols were doing their rounds and left the vicinity of the area.

With that, Mark and Mei held hands and dove down to the ground. And once they reached a height, where they could be seen by the guards atop the walls, Mark used his [Shadow Mist Movement] to turn into a surge of black mist with Mei. The two landed safely without getting any unwanted attention. It was rather nerve-racking since Mark's [Shadow Mist Movement] had limited distance. The two of them repeatedly appeared and disappeared before landing.

Mark could use the [Photokinesis Mental Crystal] to use optical camouflage, but he went against it. Using the crystals emit quite a ripple of magical energy into the surroundings compared to using their own abilities. Since they were sneaking into an unfamiliar place, who would know if someone with high enough magical sense was present inside.

Landing safely, the two hid their wings. It was unneeded and would only serve as a hindrance while moving behind buildings and alleys.

And from here, Mark would use his abilities as a [Empath] to search for the right location.

With Mark's abilities, it only took a second. The familiar emotional fluctuations of people they knew were just a couple of buildings away.

Mark and Mei began moving. With Mark's [Empath] abilities serving as a radar, it was easy to bypass the patrols roaming around the streets.

Soon, the two stood behind a walled compound. Mark wondered if everyone inside the compound was with General Perez since the building where the emotional fluctuations were coming from was inside.

Nodding to Mei as a signal, the two of them jumped over the wall and went straight to the tallest building inside. The building was not one built vertically. It was a three-floor structure built horizontally like a commercial apartment building.

However, now that they were close, Mark could not help but frown.

"Gege, is something wrong?"

Mei noticed the sudden change in Mark's demeanor.

"I didn't realize since I'm only paying attention to the fluctuation from General Perez... Angeline and Paula aren't here. Elsa is not here either," Mark explained. "More importantly, everyone is agitated."

Mei could not help but worry after hearing Mark's words. Those were definitely not good signs.

"Let's go."

Mark said as he held Mei's right hand. The two of them then turned into a surge of black mist that crept up the walls of the building into a particular room.

***

"Dad, what are we going to do?"

"Are we not going already?"

"We should start searching!"

"Where are we going to search then?"

"It's already past the night curfew! Do you all want to get caught?!"

Inside the room, a tense discussion was ongoing. Angry, worried, and panicked voices overlapped one another.

"Damn it... Just why in the world is this happening..."

General Perez's weak voice could be barely heard among the noise. However, he was clearly worried sick about something.

"Miguel...Dear..."

A weak voice of a woman entered the General's ear as his wife sat beside him with a worried face.

<strong>BANG!</strong>

The noise was suddenly overlapped by the loud sound of someone punching the wall.

"Sh*t..." There, the General's eldest son, Rafael, stood with his blood-covered hands. "Just where the hell did those three go to?"

All of a sudden, the noise died down with a loud bang. It was when everyone realized that the people inside the room increased by two.