Shield World V2 has a harsh surface climate, perpetually shrouded in sandstorms.
Their landing site was a research area established by the CEC Corporation, comprising several zones. To reach the Marker directly, they had to pass through several dangerous locations.
Among them was the research lab area where CEC replicated the Marker. When the disaster struck, no one on the surface survived, which meant that this area was teeming with 'Necromorphs'!
"Listen!"
Hammond loaded his bullet, took a deep breath, and looked at the group with a solemn expression.
"This mission is very dangerous. We must stick together. As the head of Security and a former Marine, you all must follow my commands!"
"Understood!"
The group nodded vigorously.
"Daniels, since you're a spy sent by the United Government, I presume you've been trained?" Hammond turned to Daniels, and without waiting for her to speak, said in an undeniable tone.
"From now on, you will serve as the Vice Captain and assist me in command."
"Okay." Daniels nodded, accepting the position. After all, in the entire team, only she and Hammond had received professional training.
"Wait!"
Before entering the dangerous zone, Hammond clenched his fist, stopping the team. Looking at the experimental area before him, he rehearsed the assault tactics he had learned in the Marines.
However, one person's actions ruined his tactics from the very beginning.
Bang!!!
The iron door was kicked open, and before they could even discuss, they saw Isaac rush in like a brute.
Isaac, burning with anxiety, couldn't wait. The thought of his girlfriend, Nicole, suffering from the virus made him desperate to rush in and slaughter those damned monsters!
"Wait, Isaac!"
Hammond called out from behind, his heart racing, complaining that this guy must be crazy, right?
This was the Necromorphs' lair. They hadn't even confirmed the numbers, and rushing in so recklessly would only lead to them being surrounded!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Intense gunfire came from inside, occasionally mixed with the Necromorphs' shrill and chilling howls.
"Go in!" Seeing this, Hammond could only grit his teeth and deploy the others.
"Johnston, stay at the door and guard against enemies from other directions. Daniels, come in with me. You take the left, I'll take the right. Be careful to avoid the muzzles; don't friendly fire!"
Then, Hammond executed a beautiful and standard tactical move, rolling into the room. Using the infrared mode of his goggles, he clearly saw the situation inside.
Daniels, who entered next, had also received professional training from the government. Her gun-handling was very standard. After avoiding Hammond, she didn't have time to look at the situation inside and asked him.
"What happened? Is he okay!"
However, Hammond still looked stunned, not saying a word for a long time.
Daniels could only Come and See for herself.
The result left both of them, the 'professionals,' dumbfounded, feeling as if they had been hit by ten thousand critical strikes.
The seven or eight Necromorphs lurking inside had all been dealt with by Isaac alone, and cleanly at that.
Looking at the two who had entered, Isaac calmly turned his head, then raised his right foot and stomped down heavily, as if fueled by anger.
Splat!!!
The Necromorph was crushed to pieces, blood splattering!
Then, under their bewildered gazes, Isaac looked up, returning to his usual demeanor, and asked with slight confusion.
"What's wrong?"
...
Looking at the Necromorphs dismembered by the plasma cutter scattered everywhere, and Isaac's action of stomping them one after another, Hammond's mouth twitched as he asked a question he was very concerned about.
"Isaac, are you—really an engineer?"
"Is there a problem with that?" Isaac didn't quite understand why they would ask this question.
"Of course I'm the Chief Engineer, and I have CEC certification. You're not doubting me, are you?"
Hammond and Daniels exchanged glances, unsure what to say.
Whose engineer is this fierce?! Did he take a major in mixed martial arts!?
Putting everything else aside, just these movements alone, so practiced, didn't seem like an engineer's. He should be a battle-hardened, well-trained warrior!
"Have you been trained somewhere?" Hammond couldn't help but ask.
In front of Isaac, they seemed like green recruits, making Hammond, who had just been thinking about tactics, look like a joke.
"No," Isaac shook his head blankly, saying, "I just feel like there's a voice telling me this is what I should do. It's instinctual..."
In fact, even he found it strange.
He was clearly facing these disgusting monsters for the first time, yet his body instinctively felt as familiar as if he had been through countless battles.
"Alright."
Hammond could only keep his doubts to himself, gripping his heavy pulse rifle, and took a breath.
"Keep moving, Isaac... this time, you go first."
The area they were heading to was directly beneath the gravity well of the world cracker "Ishimura," where minerals were collected. According to the data, CEC found the damned alien device, the "Marker," here.
As for the enemies?
Leave them to the omnipotent Isaac!
Emrys, aboard the Ishimura, was monitoring Isaac's every move from the servo-skull.
"Indeed, Isaac is Isaac." Watching Isaac, like a god of slaughter, push through the Necromorphs, and his familiar stomping, Emrys couldn't help but laugh.
This is the Isaac he knew!
"Communication request!"
At this moment, another servo-skull emitted a sound:
"It's 'white,' a senior official from the CEC Corporation, requesting to establish communication with the Ishimura. Connect?"
"A communication from the CEC Corporation?" Emrys raised an eyebrow, then thought of something and sneered.
"Heh, it seems they've been following what's happening here all along. Now that they've discovered the 'Marker' is about to fall into someone else's hands, they finally can't sit still."
A communication at this time—there was no other possibility than that they had been monitoring the Ishimura all along.
"Connect it."
Emrys leaned back in his chair, smiling.
"I want to see what they have to say."
"Hello, sir."
In the communication projection, an elderly male with white hair, sunken eyes, and wearing a suit, stared at him with sharp eyes.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am White, a senior official from the CEC Corporation, representing the CEC Corporation with full authority. I wish to negotiate with you."
"Negotiate what?"
Emrys seemed quite relaxed, as he should be the one in control now.
"You should know what we want."White looked at him calmly.
"The Marker—"
"This is CEC Corporation's bottom line. If you are willing to give it to CEC, we are willing to compensate you."
"What if I'm not willing?"
Emrys narrowed his eyes slightly, speaking indifferently.
"Sir I don't understand what considerations you are basing your refusal of CEC's proposal on."White sneered, saying, "But these super soldiers—I'm afraid they are not enough to concern CEC."
"Allow me to formally introduce you to the CEC Corporation." As he said this, he proudly straightened his back, his eyes full of contempt.
"The Concordance Extraction Corporation is a colossal enterprise spanning the galaxy, with multiple projects including colonization, military, and mining. Even the Earth United Government has to consider our opinions. Now—do you understand?"
White's tone carried a hint of threat.
"I advise you to reconsider. If you reject our proposal, CEC won't hesitate to destroy the entire Ishimura. Please do not doubt our capabilities, sir."
"Hahahaha you're threatening me?!"
Emrys couldn't help but let out a laugh.
"If you wish, you can interpret it that way," White said with an arrogant glint in his eyes.