"What the f—?!"
Watching the crazed mother still seeking her own death, Hudson couldn't help but roar, "You irresponsible piece of trash!"
"That's enough."
Seeing that the woman's pupils had already dilated, Hicks shook his head, closed his eyes, and then stood up with a grim expression.
Using the high-power communication system built into his individual gear, he reported to the Mars Base:
"This is the unit stationed at FC33 Dawn. We have confirmed an anomalous phenomenon on FC336 capable of affecting the human mind."
"No physical entity of the anomaly has been found yet. I judge it has been hidden and handled by The Chief Corporation. We require the dispatch of a Containment Troops for assistance. Please respond, over."
"Zzz... zzz..." Static noise.
Hearing this, Hicks frowned deeply, looked around at his subordinates, and said in a low voice, "The communication has been blocked."
"Damn it," Hudson cursed, gripping his M41A with both hands. "It must be those idiots from Chief."
Gina, who was guarding the door, turned back and asked, "Officer, what do we do?"
"The destination remains the same. Continue to the Central Control Room." Hicks flipped the safety on his M41A and walked out of the room, saying calmly:
"The Chief Corporation must have specific information and the location of the anomaly. More importantly, the Central Control Room can restore communications to call for support."
Hudson, following behind Hicks, suggested with a hesitant look:
"Hicks, this anomaly is too eerie. Yesterday it was just violent incidents, but today it's evolved into mass suicide... How about we take an Escape Pod to leave the colony first? That way we can restore comms and then notify the Mars Base to send reinforcements?"
"No," Hicks immediately rejected the idea.
"Because we might have been affected as well. Before we confirm the transmission method of the anomaly, we absolutely cannot let it leak out from this asteroid."
He then roared in a low voice, "Marine Corps, do I make myself clear?!"
"Oorah!" (x2)
Hudson and Gina responded with roars of their own.
"Very good, move out!"
Hicks raised his M41A and was the first to step out of the building.
With Hudson in the middle and Gina in the rear, they maintained a two-meter distance as they advanced toward the Central Control Room.
En route.
The colony's buildings and corridors were filled with the bodies of miners' family members who had committed suicide. Their deaths were too gruesome to look at.
Some had slit their throats, others had hanged themselves.
It was just as Hudson had said.
The colony had only been experiencing violent incidents last night, which had caught their attention, yet by today it had turned into mass suicide.
This indicated that this anomaly's influence on the human mind was extremely rapid.
However, the three of them had not yet suffered any infection.
This... was very strange.
But there was an explanation circulating within Umbrella that company employees received a certain kind of protection, making it impossible for anomalies to control their minds.
This theory had become more and more accepted by everyone since 'Cult Scram' was contained.
However, the naturally cautious Hicks didn't dare let his guard down because of rumors, which could lead the company and humanity into a crisis.
Soon.
The three arrived at the office area for high-level employees of The Chief Corporation. The decor was a far cry from the miners' living quarters, being clean and bright.
It had a square, orderly layout with a scenic grass garden in the center, seemingly designed to relieve visual fatigue.
But it still shared a commonality with the miners' living area.
Suicide victims were everywhere.
.
Hudson scanned the surroundings and shook his head with a sigh. "It looks like everyone in the colony is dead. Those miners who went into the shafts are probably doomed too."
Heh, is this a Dead Universe (Dead Space)?"
"My God... people have gone crazy... they've gone crazy!"
Just as Hudson finished speaking, a Chief employee wearing a shirt and suit trousers appeared in their field of vision, covered in bloodstains.
The employee staggered, covering his face with his hands before collapsing onto the lawn, muttering to himself neurotically:
"Crazy... they're all crazy... Oh my God..."
Seeing this, the three Marines immediately aimed their weapons at the Chief employee and slowly moved toward him.
At that moment, the holographic glasses connected to their helmets finished scanning the employee.
His name was Edward Jones, one of the few high-level executives of The Chief Corporation in the colony.
Looking at the data before him, Hudson aimed his weapon at Jones' forehead and grinned maliciously. "Hmph, since he's Chief scum, there's no need to be nice to him."
(Looking at Hicks) "Do you want me to pry his mouth open for interrogation?"
Hicks raised his left hand with a wave and ordered calmly, "Enough. Regardless, he is a survivor. You two, watch the perimeter."
"Yes, sir." (x2)
Hicks then approached Jones and asked in an icy tone, "Mr. Jones, may I ask..."
!?
Before Hicks could finish, Jones suddenly looked up, his bloodshot eyes staring straight at Hicks as he said in a panic:
"Corporal? Oh! My God! That's great! You haven't been affected! Quick, run, we have to escape from here!"
As he spoke, Jones scrambled to his feet, reaching out to grab Hicks and pull him toward the Escape Pods.
But Hicks dodged with a look of disdain and instead grabbed Jones by the collar, pulling him close, and then... *Slap!*
He slapped Jones, controlling his strength, and asked again, "Please snap out of it and report the situation to us."
After being slapped, Jones' state clearly improved, and he nodded weakly:
"Okay... Corporal, could you please... let go of me first?"
Hicks let go, giving the man his freedom.
He asked, "Was the communication interference your doing? And what exactly did you people dig up?"
Jones unbuttoned a collar button to breathe more easily and looked toward the Central Control Room.
"Sergeant, the communication interference was turned on by the supervisor himself, and I know the access code."
"I can help you unlock it. As for what was excavated... there is visual data in the Central Control Room. I only hope you can ensure my safety!"
"No problem." Hicks naturally had no objection to Jones' 'defection' and ordered:
"Gina, take the point. Hudson, you are responsible for Mr. Jones' safety throughout."
"Yes." Gina, holding her M56, walked ahead.
"Yes, Officer," Hudson responded sarcastically as he moved to Jones' side.
.
With Jones' help, the three didn't need to use force to open the passcode door of the Central Control Room.
They entered.
The interior was empty; it seemed that before the Chief technicians could even reach their posts, they were affected by the anomaly.
Just as he said, Jones assisted the Marines in restoring communications while also playing the data on the 'thing' Chief had excavated.
Deep within the mine, in a cavern inside the asteroid, there was actually a giant Double-helix structure engraved with patterns.
It was clearly an anomaly of artificial origin—a 'beacon (Marker)'.
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