Chapter 158: Surfaced (48k)

"According to Japanese intelligence, this possible supernatural creature is similar in form to echinoderms and cephalopods such as starfish and octopuses. It is nearly 100 meters in size and is likely to have the ability to absorb radiation."

"Our mission is to assist the destroyer USS Kani and the research vessel Silver Star in deploying seafloor monitoring equipment near Bini Atoll, ensure the completion of this operation, and promptly investigate any abnormalities."

"According to the plan, we will stay at the nearby Kwajalein base tonight and officially start work tomorrow."

Mare Islands, waters near Kwajalein base.

Mason repeated the details of the mission to his subordinates, paying more attention to Carlos.

Compared to Jamie, this extraordinary person is more taciturn, but he is a very nice person, even a little too nice.

What’s more important is that every time I communicate with him, I subconsciously trust what he says, and I have to think through it before I can react, which is a bit scary.

Perhaps Carlos knew this situation, so he tried his best to remain silent.

"After a joint investigation of this incident, we believe that it is very likely that it is a supernatural creature. In short, remain extremely vigilant, amplify your suspicion, and protect the scientific research personnel on the ship."

"understand!"

The research vessel docked, while the destroyer had another mission assigned by the military and would set off with them tomorrow morning.

After getting off the boat, Carlos breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't like staying on the boat and felt very uneasy.

"Hello, Colonel Dylan, thank you for meeting me."

Mason greeted the person who came to greet him. The other party was very enthusiastic and the arrangements were very well organized, but there seemed to be a fishy smell on him.

But this is not surprising. The sea breeze has a salty smell, and a guy in his team who doesn't like to take a bath smells almost like salted fish.

"You came at the right time. It's almost time for us to have dinner. The sashimi here is very special. I strongly recommend you to try it."

Colonel Dylan was all smiles and wanted to welcome them to the cafeteria right away.

"No, thank you for your enthusiasm. In order to maintain the mission status, all of us must eat rationed dry food."

This is their mission requirement, and although Mason is not old-fashioned, he will not make exceptions easily.

Dylan's eyes changed slightly, and he seemed a little unhappy, but he still tried his best to maintain a smile on his face. He invited them to visit the cafeteria. Even if they didn't eat, it would be great to see how they enjoyed these delicacies.

Mason did not continue to refuse. He asked his deputy to settle the scientists' luggage first, and he chatted with them for a while to get to know the situation of the base.

America has built several bases in the Mare Islands, mainly for conducting missile weapon experiments and monitoring other forces. There are only a few thousand people in total. The biggest trouble is extreme weather, but overall it is still a very peaceful place. The largest town nearby has a population of only tens of thousands and generally does not encounter any conflicts.

Mason could imagine how predictable life was here, and he suspected that these energetic soldiers contributed a lot to the population of tens of thousands.

While they were talking, Carlos was looking around alone. He had very good eyesight and he seemed to vaguely see someone in the building peeking at them.

This situation might be normal, but that sight made him feel a little uncomfortable.

When the team members returned with the scientists who had packed their belongings and saluted, Colonel Dylan couldn't wait to take them to the base cafeteria.

"Come on, come on, once you eat one piece, you will never refuse this delicacy again."

When we arrived at the cafeteria, at the signal of Colonel Dylan, the chef with a hospitable look put out a plate of sashimi.

The fish meat on top is pink, and the slices are stacked one by one, trying hard to maintain the original appearance of the fish.

What was strange was that even though the meat had shattered into pieces, the fish head was still opening and closing to breathe, and the fish eyes seemed to be staring straight at Mason who was walking in front.

The moment the fish was served, the looks around immediately changed. The local soldiers kept swallowing their saliva and staring at the plate of sashimi, as if they would not be able to resist pouncing on it and feasting on it in the next second.

Do so many people eat sashimi? Are there no other foods?
It's very strange. But, I can't explain why it's strange.

Mason was a little dazed, feeling that there was something beyond his understanding.

The scientists did not have to eat dry food, but under the other party's excited persuasion, one of them hesitantly stretched out his hand and was about to taste a piece.

Colonel Dylan's smile almost reached his ears.

They all have bright smiles and eyes like crescent moons.

"Wait a moment."

Carlos spoke up.

Those people looked at him, their eyes like fish, unblinking.

"Our stomachs are not very good. We cannot eat raw fish because of tomorrow's work."

【Saint】 worked, and the scientist nodded in approval and put the sashimi down.

Now it was the soldiers' turn to have an indescribable weird look on their faces.

What he said makes a lot of sense. We should really wait a little longer.

Mason suddenly broke out in a cold sweat, looked at the plate of fish and the people's gazes, and finally realized that something was wrong.

After looking at Carlos, he suppressed his uneasiness, tried his best to maintain his previous state, and expressed his hope to return to his room to rest as soon as possible.

"Kevin, show the guests around and introduce the facilities on the island."

Dylan was disappointed to see that they didn't want to eat, so he just arranged for a soldier to receive them.

After saying that, he reached out his hand, grabbed a handful of fish fillets, and put them into his mouth to chew without any manners.

Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth, but he looked intoxicated.

But that intoxicated look made his facial features extremely distorted, as if there was a unique face hidden under the human skin.

Kevin came out and led them out of the cafeteria.

The moment they stepped out of the cafeteria, there was complete chaos behind them. Everyone was scrambling for food, but Kevin's expression did not change at all, as if this was a common occurrence everywhere.

Mason observed and confirmed that only Carlos and himself noticed something unusual, and no one else noticed anything wrong.

“Cognitive interference?”

Mason felt a little tricky. This place was definitely affected by something. Only a supernatural person like Carlos could block the influence and wake himself up at the same time.

"We don't really need to go anywhere, and we left some stuff on the boat, Kevin, right? Please thank Colonel Dylan for his hospitality. We can arrange the rest on our own."

Mason spoke casually to Kevin as if they were chatting.

Kevin looked at the sky which was gradually setting, and said with a smile that seemed to be cut from the same mold as Colonel Dylan: "Captain Mason, there may be some movement on the island at night, but it is normal. Just ignore it. I wish you have a pleasant night."

Mason nodded: "Well, I'll let them stay in their rooms tonight, thank you."

Kevin didn't say anything more after hearing that. He maintained that smile and slowly backed up to the cafeteria.

Finally, there were no strangers around him. Mason breathed a sigh of relief and lowered his voice: "Carlos, did you see anything?"

"They are very strange and cannot be trusted. Besides, that fish is also weird." Carlos' voice was a little hoarse, which was the sequelae of swallowing the alien before.

After hearing the conversation between Carlos and Mason, the group realized belatedly that they had just experienced a bizarre scene and some discussions arose.

"Let's go back to the ship first." Mason took out the satellite phone and planned to contact the crew members who stayed on the ship.

I called, but as time passed, no one answered the phone.

Mason's heart sank. Without those crew members, few of them would be able to drive such a boat. They could certainly move it if they forced it, but various accidents would be prone to occur.

He could only continue to ask for help from the USS Carney and the nearest military base, and then report the strange situation here to his superiors.

The group quickened their pace and returned to the boat. As expected, there was no one left inside, and there was no trace of blood or struggle on the ground. It was no different from when they got off the boat.

The surveillance inside the ship was damaged, and he even suspected that the ship's power system was also damaged, so he immediately sent his men to investigate.

"Captain, we've checked and found that the boat can no longer be started." After a while, the subordinate came back with a grim look on his face to report.

Sure enough, Mason was not too disappointed.

However, this can basically confirm that the people on the island - at least Colonel Dylan - have bad intentions towards them and are definitely influenced by an unknown supernatural force.

This kind of method has not been seen in any extraordinary materials.

He didn't know if Dylan's gang could be saved, but he wouldn't risk looking for them again.

After putting away the ladder connecting to the dock, Mason began to arrange the tasks.

"Everyone, I think you have already realized that we are facing some unknown situations. Anyone who still thinks everything is normal, please speak up. Your perception has been tampered with. Well, it seems that we have all woken up. Next, we need to use the Silver Star as a base for defense and prepare for possible battles. I have already sent out a distress signal to the Carney and nearby bases. As long as we hold on for thirty minutes, they will arrive!"

"Now, check the weapons at hand and stay awake at all times. Carlos, please repeat these words to me: 'Don't trust the fish', 'Don't eat the fish', 'Don't believe the words of anyone other than us', 'Stay awake'."

Carlos understood that he wanted to use his ability to convince people to counter possible cognitive tampering.

So he faced everyone and repeated those words loudly in a hoarse voice.

Mason said a few more words to encourage everyone, and then everyone began to check the weapons they had.

Because the Bini Atoll survey operation was equipped with destroyers and base support, they basically had some light weapons.

Now considering that there are at least thousands of people on this island, if all of them are controlled, Mason doesn't know whether their small team can hold on.

He looked at Carlos beside him and sighed.

"Carlos, if the situation is irreversible, you must try to protect yourself. Remember not to lose your watch. It has the location on it. The director will definitely send someone over as soon as possible."

Carlos shook his head, his voice hoarse and firm: "I will do my best to protect you."

As the sun gradually sank to the west and the last ray of light disappeared on the horizon, it seemed as if something was activated in this small atoll.

The atmosphere suddenly became gloomy, and the strong fishy smell seemed to strengthen their nasal cavity, making them feel nauseous.

Time passed little by little, but the signal for support still did not come back. Just when Mason was about to urge again, the satellite phone rang ahead of time.

There was silence on the other side.

As his premonition grew worse, the person on the other side finally spoke.

"Why don't you eat fish?"

"Mingming, it's so delicious."

beep.

"The Carney was rigged"

The threat from the other side was greater than Mason expected.

The Carney, which had been separated from them for only about an hour, had already been controlled. He suspected that these bases in the Mare Islands were probably completely unreliable.

So my request for help just now actually alerted the enemy.

He called Director Edgar again and informed him of his suspicions and current situation.

"You mean, these bases in the Mal Islands may have been controlled by an unknown group of extraordinary people, and our soldiers have become their puppets?"

White palace.

The commander-in-chief took the phone and repeated Edgar's words carefully.

"Yes, that's the case. Plus, there may be extraordinary creatures near the Mal Islands. Of course, all this still needs further confirmation from the military."

"I will wait for confirmation from the military. There are not only soldiers there, but also family members and military contractors. If your intelligence is confirmed, I will find a way to rescue Carlos."

After hanging up the phone, the commander-in-chief put his hand to his chin, his brows locked.

After a while, a phone call came in.

"are you sure?"

"Yes, they revealed a flaw. Their language logic was a bit strange. They rejected our tentative orders. So, we initially agree with the view of the non-investigation bureau. They were all manipulated. We are currently locking down the weapon systems that can be locked down, but it is not completely safe."

"Where is the nearest carrier battle group?"

Chu Chu Chu!
The muzzle flames of the Silver Star research vessel were like flickering candlelight on the ship.

If it is extinguished, perhaps darkness without any light will come.

Between the obstacles on the ship's hull, figures that were too agile to be human appeared everywhere, gradually forcing Mason's action team to retreat.

Feng——

Mason fired a flare into the dark night, and under the light, the deck of the ship was instantly as bright as day.

This time, they finally saw the faces of those "people" clearly.

A pair of dull eyes like fish eyes, blue-black skin, big fish lips, and scales scattered on the body.

Carlos' weapons were two iron sticks. No fish head could withstand one of the sticks without breaking into pieces. With two sticks in his hands, he was invincible and his brains were all spilled out.

But these fish are not fools. Gradually, some of the more agile and powerful fishmen took the initiative to find him, making it difficult for him to get rid of them for a while.

He was still reluctant to use Alienation, as this ability was difficult to control and he would overuse it if he wasn't careful.

What he needs to do now is to delay time as much as possible.

"You are strong. Just join us and I can let them go."

A murloc in a black robe appeared in front of Carlos, and beside him, there were several murlocs of obviously more advanced level as guards.

call out!
In response to the flying stick, the fishman slightly turned his head to avoid it, but it still tore his black robe, exposing his "perfect fish face" to Carlos's sight.

Kai touched the healing wound on his face, then stretched out his blood-stained hand. Kevin beside him immediately licked it greedily with his tongue.

"Let me see, how does the so-called extraordinary compare to me?"

(End of this chapter)