Misery In the Lanes
The smell had gotten worse as the week passed. Breathing in through a filter, smelling incense, and wrapping your body with waxed seals and talismans had become an annoyance as of late. Streets were full of processions of men and women in the livery of their god preaching. Apartment tenants were keeping to themselves as they stay in their rooms praying and hoping. Those who can't afford to lose their jobs took a step out in the dark with hope they can reach their workplace alive. Twenty residents in the lotus lane have turned into ghouls and many were careful about who they'd let in.
In the second floor there was a family who feasted on a neighbor's innards and when the Neo Crusaders found the scene. It did not look pretty as they burned them in their holy fire. Each street and lane had a member of the Church Union. Which made you realize how truly powerful and influential they were to occupy an entire city without anyone's permission; most of the districts were now full of the dead. Contract users, who have made pacts with devils, were with the clergy as they searched for the abominations and the undead. They were usually those who have been hoping for power and a wish. Like the Necromancers who need to be licensed, registered, and approved by the OB and the TCU.
A Paladin of the Church, wearing the gilded red cross proudly on his chest knocks on the door. Wearing chainmail, body armor, and webbing holding 300 rounds. On his back is a light machine gun, and a broadsword is on his hips.
"How may I help you, Sir?"
I asked. The Paladin scanned the room. He checks the fridge and takes out an artifact. The artifact spread a holy glow all over the room, touching every corner.
"You are clear."
He took out a recording device. Asking questions such as if I've encountered the undead, and had meetings with a demon as of late.
"Here is my clearance after an operation. You can confirm the details."
The Paladin frostily takes the data from my transmitter. Behind the helmet, I could see hate, anger, and then joy as he realizes what we have done. He puts away the transmitter.
"I see I stand before a slayer. I shall mark thy home with a clearance for the church."
The Paladin takes out a hammer and nails the prayer of St. Joseph beside the door. He also hands me a charm of Saint Christopher. With the Paladin finished, he moves to the next room, scouring every resident until everyone is checked.
The one in the first floor, the oldest, seems to have been found having an unlicensed and unregistered item of demonic qualities and has been chained up and dragged to the Inquisition for questioning. The Paladins ride on Augmented Warhorses to navigate the streets of Changye. 180cm tall horses equipped to handle the narrow alleys and lanes. Destriers who have gone under mutated changes to accommodate the paladins and crusaders of the era. The beasts could ram through walls, kick a car to the side and face the unholy without a flinch. Not to mention their Hounds were dangerous. Those dogs could sniff out a heretic and tear a throat open without even you knowing.
The service train is limited. Without the proper working documents, an OB agent or Clergyman would detain you or question you. The train station near Asobe Street was chock-full of passengers herded by a Vicar and accompanied by clerics who were recording every passenger getting in and out of the station. If you have no talisman, charm, and purity seals. It's going to be a long day for you.
The busy streets were full of men and women wearing respiratory masks. It was like walking through this thick miasmic fog where you have to wave a light around to cross. A preacher was preaching; holding a bible on one hand and his dominant hand holding a rosary.
Most of the shops have been closed with the miasma still spreading from the lanes. Above, through the green fog of the undead is the sight of Upper Changye; a star shining and held by eight pillars bringing illumination even as the fog blocks the light of the sun.
A sight to behold even as the dark tries to consume Changye most of the time. Can't even imagine the amount of power needed to light up this city. The apartment where the office was lit up as well. Talismans on the walls, and posters of the TCU plastered everywhere as the Church uses this event to spread their teachings and bring more men and women to the light of the TCU. You can hear the novena playing on the speakers and those who worship their gods kneel in front of the altars to hope for salvation. One of the families in the building; where Kei's office is located has a family praying to their god. This family is devoted to Shangdi and has lit up incense to block off the miasma.
Kei's office was the same as everyone in the building with the exception of having a signboard saying this was an office affiliated with the Shichinin no Ken Association. Entering the office I smell an aroma diluting the scent of the miasma. I took off my respiratory mask and dispose of the filters on the bin.
The board next to the door had no notes. In the office Eta is maintaining her gear while Boss was speaking with someone through a headset. She was extremely annoyed. Her eyes could drill a hole with how she's glaring.
I placed my gear on my work table. Turning on the computer, I read through the emails, sort through the spam, and finally skimmed through the work-related emails with messages from the affiliates under the office reporting rumors of anomalies. The lanes were still covered in miasma, but anomalies thrive under this miasmic air, breathing it in and providing energy to the anomalies who seem to relish this opportunity. I wonder if there is some sort of connection. It was not surprising if monsters can attract anomalies and if a person can become afflicted; there was no rule that a monster can't be afflicted too.
"We have a problem."
She stood in front with the light behind her glaring at our eyes. With hands on her hips and a raised chin. She looked extremely annoyed.
"The Shichinin no Ken Association has decided to get involved with the Wight and they demand us to 'help' in the incursion."
"How? Why?"
Eta asks naturally. Kei circled her table. She plugs in the projector and turns it on. On the side, she was showing a file containing detailed slides on the operation the Shichinin no Ken plans to do. The Wight has now a new name: Scourge.
"Fuck."
Eta's reaction upon reading the new name of the Wight was understandable. It was a combination no one wants to think about. An anomaly being used by a Wight.
"The concrete man of ours got captured by the Scourge."
She shows images of the concrete man skewered by the Wight and then the Wight raising the Anomaly as part of the Undead. The Wight seems to realize the potential of this 'creature' and was using it to reinforce his skeletons, giving them concrete-reinforced bodies and exoskeletons which made them harder to kill.
"After resurrecting the Concrete Anomaly. The now-evolved Scourge practically made the lanes into a fortress, creating ten inches of concrete walls with undead workers building a throne. Do you understand now why Shichinin no Ken wants us to help?"
The slides show the Undead was heading to one of the pillars. With one of the eight pillars in danger. There was a chance the Scourge could direct the Concrete Man to reach the pillar and manipulate its foundation. The powers of the concrete man and its ability were still unknown, but the thought of it crippling one of the pillars was a terrifying thought. No wonder they wanted this creature now. You don't fuck with the eight pillars in this city.
"Then shouldn't they call the Graded Agents?"
"They wouldn't. The Graded are currently slaughtering the miasma-enhanced monsters all over the city that are spawning. Upper Changye might look safe, but even they are starting to feel the after-effects of the dread. And with our local monsters using this chance to hunt through the night. They want the associations to purge the Scourge and capture the Concrete Man Anomaly."
"Capture? That will be hard."
"It is. They are sending an OB Necromancer to steal the command of the Undead and bring the Concrete Man to the command of the OB. If they are able to use this Concrete Man, then they will find a good use of it. A creature like that is something the Otherside Bureau will do anything to obtain – which also means other Necromancers and devil worshippers are hoping to get the concrete man before anyone else."
Eta groans and crossed her arms. I could tell she was hesitating. The situation had become complicated with many factions at play.
"I will not allow us to get involved in this travesty. I like money as much as everyone, but this isn't a good way to earn one. Not with the Bureau, Church, and Affiliated Factions warring."
She sat on her desk while gritting her teeth. I had been through many companies, and if there was one thing I learn from jumping from one company to another. Money wasn't just worth it if you die trying to earn it. It's not worth risking your life without certainty you will succeed. Yes, we might have encountered a demon and somehow managed to escape. But there was one currency in this world you need to be careful in spending.
Luck.
If you ran out of luck. You are done. You can't buy luck and once you're out of luck. I doubt you could live in this city for too long. Death was a common occurrence here and there were only a few in this city who want to spend all their luck on something uncertain. I could tell Kei was worried our luck will run out. We have survived and thrived as of late, but will we be able to continue our lucky streak?
She doubts it, and I doubt it. It was an omen and this miasma was the sign we need. Superstition and gut-feeling was the bread and butter of people like us. And this was the world we lived in now where the undead terrorizes the night and where the church had the right to be fanatical.
You'd be the dumbest if you ignore it. But the problem here was not our own. It's what the Shichinin no Ken wants from us. Their demands have so much weight to our office's operations. And although the Shichinin no Ken has been reasonable, when it comes to orders and commands, it's one of the things they wouldn't ignore lightly if you refuse.
"So what's our play here? We can't ignore Sato issuing orders you know?"
Kei kneads her face.
"Eta, don't forget our office isn't a detective agency nor do we capture or kill monsters. We gather information and our role is to compile data on anomalies. We only fight when needed and in this case. We can make it clear we will only participate so we can gather information about this anomaly."
"Will they accept that?"
Kei set her jaws. She's clearly worried about participating in big orders like this. The Shichinin no Ken listens to reason, but they also have many affiliates under their names too and they wouldn't exactly miss Kei's office if we perish here. At best, they'll find a replacement built on the office's hard work. We might be overthinking here, but it's better than not thinking about it all.
"So that's it. We'll go to the lanes. Participate in the slaughter while we interview anyone who might know the Anomaly."
Eta shouldered her two-handed sword and walks to the storage.
"Yes. We aren't taking our chances like the demon fragment, so we're going to pack some food, tools, and weapons."
"I'll have to call my landlord then."
I excused myself and called my landlord about the incursion I'm going to. It's better I make a call first before the landlord has some ideas about renting it to someone. The landlord knows I work for Shichinin no Ken so the landlord wouldn't try anything unless the due is up.
Going back inside the office. Eta hands me a Celestial Forges & Armory body armor and chainmail to wear.
After attaching new litany seals on our sheaths and holsters. We took the service train back to the misery lanes.
Eta smashed the head of the corpse trying to bite her on the chest. The chainmail stopped the rotten teeth before the corpse's unnatural strength managed to injure her. Kei finishes off the undead, spreading the brain matter of the undead on the ground with her teleforce cane. The associates entering the only entrance in the lanes finish the enemy off. Pressing my boot on the ground until I heard a crunch. I tore a cloth from an undead and wiped the flat of the blade. Elvira, who was participating in this greets us with the same gusto; leaving Eta annoyed as she shouldered her blade.
"Guessing a hound like you will obviously be here."
"Eta, and Assistant! Oh my, I didn't think you'd be combat ready again!"
She eyed Eta's arms. Elvira's previous arm had been clearly replaced with something more robust and powerful.
"And Assistant, how are things? Sick of these girls yet? Want to become my Assistant?"
Eta snorts and looks away. Kei gave Elvira a half-closed glare before opening her transmitter to contact the 7S.
Smiling while holding her humming blade. She closes her eyepatch and adjusts the lens. The prosthetic eye of her has this unnatural gleam to it.
"Been a while, Miss."
"Assistant, you speak like you haven't seen me for years, then again this profession does not allow such associates to live long."
She leans her prosthetic arm on my shoulder. I wore a trench coat to this place. Most of us did it for extra protection while the others were using cheap raincoats to cover themselves from the blood and viscera. Even Elvira had the presence of mind to understand how bad the undead's rotten skin and blood were on the living. Creatures of the dead not only were full of diseases. Their very existence is an omen. Breathing in the bad air could spread diseases like the rotten plague. We make efforts to avoid inhaling miasma in areas by purifying the air through various means, such as burning herbs or using scented substances, but in our case by breathing filtered air.
"New arm seems deadly."
"Liked it?"
She transforms her arm into a bulkier form. Long talons with lines on her prosthetic where she can fire mini-missiles and rounds on a target.
"I thought you'd regenerate it. I think you did?"
"After that demon, I had decided on a prosthetic instead."
"How many parts of you are prosthetic?"
"A lot! It's an age where you can become metal. Not like you would need one, it seems."
Her arm returns to normal. Underneath her jacket I could see the augment lines on her body and around her nape.
"Oh my, if you stare at me too much, I might blush."
"Must cost a lot."
"Well, I can't help it. The life of a fighter is not a kind one dear Assistant. Sometimes you have to go through augmenting procedures to survive even for a second. Not that it will matter if Death comes for you with flowers and chocolates."
She shrugs her shoulders. For a moment I heard gentleness in her tone. And the usual subtle fear of the unknown every hard ass Agent of the state has.
The lanes were 40 square kilometers. You have to understand Changye was a large place. The lanes themselves were made for the purpose of herding those who were unable to roam the districts and it didn't take for the lanes to become big and in the next few years they estimate the lanes will extend to twenty more square kilometers. The districts were not so big compared to the lanes and was the reason we take service trains everywhere. Changye was simply too large and the road traffic alone was a headache to navigate
The walking dozers were plowing the corpses into a pile. Flamethrowers were being used to burn the body. Each hill of corpses is accompanied by a priest praying for the dead to pass; this was to make sure the miasma was purified.
As the fire rises everywhere. We heard and felt the ground shaking as rotten giants of flesh, undoubtedly crafted by the Scourge rush from the dilapidated tenements. The associates were currently holding open ground and because we have little cover in the CENTER. All we could do was fight. Wave after wave of the undead were rushing in the gathering point. Mortar rang out. Heavy gunners tore through the undead, releasing thousands of rounds a minute. The stragglers were free for slaughter and before we know it. We were surrounded by the undead cut down by gunfire or blades. I primed the flamethrower connected to a drone carrying the fuel. My job was to burn what they cleared and sometimes I have to pummel the dead to make sure their brains were destroyed. The heat on my masked face, the sweat running down my neck and armpits was making me uncomfortable despite it all.
After passing the entry lane. The associates were welcomed to the defensive line where most of the survivors have rallied to keep the undead at bay. The place was full of civilians and many of them are surrounded by priests who are constantly preaching the words of their gods to keep them from panicking. The defenders are in the inner walls, gathered into this warehouse where everyone is getting their news through a small range broadcast by transmitters. The situation was dire and the ones we met were simply the fourth wave out of the 500k possibly turned undead. The rest have become servants of the Scourge. The one coordinating the defense here in the lane also gave us the appropriate data based on the info they got from previous encounters. The footage was disturbing. Pawns of rotten-flesh golems were being made and the problem with these golems was the concrete armor they were wearing reinforced with the bones of the dead. The sight of the army of the dead wearing concrete armor and weapons made it clear this wasn't just a simple incursion.
The worst part of the problem they were showing us was the misery lane's most valuable resources; the flesh pits have been turned into an undead factory.
Footage shows the flesh pits of Zone 13 and 17 have been transformed into undead factories. The dead were transported by the undead and were enhanced into the flesh golems you usually would find in untamed flesh pits; but were rotten and decayed. Some of the flesh-pit mines have been turned into the food source for the undead and because of the fast-evolving mutations of the flesh pit. The undead had started to mutate the abominable creatures. The flesh golems who were deemed to be part of the army were being outfitted by the concrete man with concrete armor and weapons.
The weak and fragile were discarded into the flesh pit, the rest were being transformed into pawns by the Scourge. The sight had a priest chant a litany of fury and the rest groaning at the prospect of fighting enemies who were enchanted by undead magic and anomalous powers. The only ones who were somewhat happy by all of this are the OB-licensed necromancers and contractors who were eager to learn the secrets of the Scourge or control it. The price was clear to them. The Scourge and the Concrete Man Anomaly who is now a puppet of the Scourge.
The CENTER where we have gathered is full of refugees. Because we have no time and resources to do scans. We let the Priests and Inquisitors who are accompanying the Priest to judge them. They are forced to take their clothes off to check for any bite marks or signs of turning. One hour elapses and forty-seven have been executed among the first 500 civilians selected. The rest were thrown into a crowded warehouse where one of the clergy accompanied them, preaching the word of God as they waited for salvation in the form of transport. The job at the moment was to secure a supply line from the barricade wall to the CENTER where the refugees and defenders of the lanes are holding up. Dump trucks enter the lanes at 12 PM where nutri-pastes were supplied to the refugees. It was around 1 PM when the undead appeared on the scene and we were forced to defend the CENTER. Guns, blades, and flames ravaged the wave of undead. Ruling out the possibility of transporting the refugees after the waves. The trucks finished dumping the supplies while the Bureau's Containment Unit started setting up the defenses to turn the CENTER into a defense line.
The lanes were full of tenement blocks stacked up together. If you look up you can see the tenements. A vertical labyrinth of interconnected buildings, most of which were several stories tall, seemingly stacked on top of each other with little regard for structural order or design. With each building constructed so closely to each other that they share walls and were only separated by narrow alleyways and walkways. Creating this claustrophobic feeling, as if sunlight was struggling to penetrate the narrow gaps between the structures. Not to mention most of the buildings are constructed using a mix of materials, including concrete, wood, metal, and makeshift materials. Resulting in a patchwork of different textures and colors. The distinct lack of open spaces made courtyards rare, and any available space is often filled with hanging laundry, improvised utility installations, and various forms of clutter. The lack of proper maintenance, combined with the crowded living conditions, gave the tenements you see a rundown and weathered appearance. Buildings were covered in layers of grime and dirt, and the lack of proper infrastructure led to visible signs of wear and tear. We were in a rather wide area, but beyond this area was a maze-like layout resulting in narrow and winding passageways that meander through the buildings. These pathways often had uneven surfaces and were dimly lit, creating an eerie and labyrinthine atmosphere.
The close proximity of the buildings made natural light struggle to reach many areas of the tenements. Not to mention the signs, banners, and advertisements from various parts of the buildings, added to the chaotic visual look of the lanes. They say at least 50k people were living in one block and the interconnected structures of the city makes it easy for the undead to close in. The passageways, alleyways, and the dingy corridors were hell to traverse even without the miasma hindering our visions. The first team to enter the interconnected tenements carried a horde of undead with them and barely made it out.
To combat this we made four kill zones where fast runners would lure the undead to enter the kill zones. It was a gruesome task and the smell of burning and rotting corpses made it hard to breathe without a respiratory mask on. I was starting to hate it and I could speak for everyone that we just want to get out of this killing pit.
Elvira's prosthetic bisected a large undead into two. She crushes the head and wipes the sweat on her brows. Covered in spots of blood, viscera, and bile. I click the safety off the flamethrower and burn the undead.
"Easy job you got there. With all the swords dangling on your waist. They don't get much use."
One of the undead she didn't finish off tried gnawing on my boot. I lift my right leg up and smash the boot's heel on the temple.
"They are tiring us out."
I checked the tenement floors again. Even I could tell the undead were standing still, as if waiting for us to throw ourselves.
"See this, A? This is why you won't be finding me in shitholes like this. I'd rather risk my life and kill and kill before I let myself be stuck in a shithole like this."
"Yeah. I'd rather live in capsule and coffin homes in the districts rather than suffer through the lanes."
Everyone shares the sentiment. I'd rather put myself into debt-slavery in the districts rather than suffer here. I bet most of us come from these lanes and all we feel about this place was loathing and disgust. I don't want to spend more time here than necessary. But seeing the amount we were slaughtering.
It's going to take a while.