Chapter 332: Against a Monster - V

The floor inside the fabrication complex continued rising as the Lasher pulled its remaining growth toward the center.

Several thick tendrils broke through the concrete and wrapped themselves around the old industrial machinery, pulling parts of the surrounding structure inward while the larger biological mass underneath began taking shape.

The three DASF squads were already approaching from different directions.

The first squad moved through the damaged loading dock, followed by the second from the northern warehouse, while the third entered through the eastern section where the outer wall had been destroyed by artillery earlier.

Around them, the armored vehicles maintained their positions, with several Vanguards now covering the central building while the Guardians and infantry handled the remaining infected along the surrounding roads.

"Central target is rising," one of the DASF operators reported.

The leader enlarged the Radar picture and followed the biological outlines converging beneath the factory floor.

"All teams, watch the remaining extensions."

As the first squad approached the western entrance, a thick tendril suddenly tore through the floor and struck one of the supporting columns, breaking part of the concrete around it.

The entire section shook.

"Watch the structure!"

Two operators jumped away as the column began collapsing, but another extension had already emerged from the opposite wall and swung toward them.

One operator fired his HCMAR into the exposed tissue while his partner crossed underneath the incoming limb and sliced through its base with his monomolecular blade.

The cut sent black fluid spraying across the floor, although the tendril managed to pull itself away before the operator could sever it completely.

The building shook again.

Several steel beams fell from the upper section, crashing through the abandoned machinery as the Lasher continued pulling its growth inward.

"Persistent target!"

The northern DASF squad was having similar trouble.

A series of hardened spikes emerged from the floor around the old processing equipment, forcing two operators to change their approach while the others opened fire against the thicker growth wrapped around the foundations.

Unlike the extensions encountered outside, these were much larger and moved with enough force to tear apart the machinery around them.

One operator fired an explosive grenade into a fleshy junction underneath the processing line.

The explosion ripped through it. Several extensions recoiled from the impact, exposing a wide opening toward the center of the facility.

"North side, junction damaged."

The DASF leader received the report while moving through the western section.

"Keep pressing."

A Vanguard shell struck the eastern side of the complex.

The explosion tore through a portion of the building where the third squad had marked a large biological concentration, destroying the exposed growth while the DASFs remained behind the adjoining structural section.

More of the factory collapsed, revealing layers of dark flesh wrapped around what remained of the central machinery.

The third squad moved through the opening and fired several .338 bursts into the exposed mass.

The Lasher reacted.

An enormous tendril whipped across the interior and smashed through the machinery separating the two sections, sending broken equipment and concrete toward the operators.

One DASF leaped backward while another crossed behind a remaining column, barely avoiding the hardened tip as it tore through the floor.

The third operator fired an explosive grenade into the limb’s exposed base. The blast severed a large portion of the tissue.

A deep, distorted roar echoed throughout the building.

The DASF leader heard it from the western side.

"Target is hurt."

The Radar picture showed the central mass shifting away from the damaged eastern section, but the movement exposed more of its body toward the northern approach.

The northern operators immediately opened fire.

Heavy rounds struck the biological covering around the main marker, tearing through several layers of flesh as the creature attempted to pull another extension across the opening.

A Vanguard shell followed from outside.

Its impact destroyed much of the remaining wall and broke apart the thick growth shielding the northern side.

The DASF leader reached the interior opening. He could see what was underneath the factory for the first time.

The Lasher’s main body was enormous, with a swollen torso partially embedded in a mass of biological tissue that spread beneath the surrounding machinery. Its head was disproportionately large, the lower jaw extending far beyond anything resembling a human face, while several fleshy extensions emerged from the mouth and connected to the thicker tendrils surrounding it.

The hardened spikes they encountered earlier were only the ends of those extensions.

Much of its lower body remained buried underneath the floor, which explained why the creature had been able to attack across such a large area without exposing itself.

The Lasher turned its enormous head toward him. Its mouth opened wider, revealing several rows of uneven teeth surrounding the thick growth inside.

The DASF leader raised his HCMAR.

"Central body confirmed. All teams, concentrate on the main target."

The creature suddenly contracted its remaining extensions.

Several enormous spikes emerged from the biological mass surrounding it, their hardened tips pointing toward the operators approaching from three directions.

The Lasher released another roar, but the DASF leader was faster, firing into the infected’s body.

The .338 rounds tore through the swollen flesh surrounding the Lasher’s mouth, forcing its enormous head backward as several of the hardened spikes shot toward the western entrance.

The DASF leader jumped sideways, avoiding the first extension as it smashed through the machinery behind him, while his partner fired into another tendril coming from underneath the floor.

"North team, main body exposed!"

"Copy. We got it!"

The northern operators opened fire through the damaged processing line, concentrating their HCMARs on the creature’s upper torso while the eastern squad attacked the extensions protecting its lower body.

The Lasher reacted violently.

Several thick tendrils lashed across the interior, crushing whatever machinery remained around its body as it attempted to drive the operators away from three directions. One of the northern DASFs was struck across his side and thrown into a concrete pillar, cracking the surface before falling onto the ruined floor.

"Hmmpff!"

He forced himself upright, although another spike was already approaching.

His partner intercepted it with a monomolecular blade, cutting through the softer tissue near its base before firing a burst into the opening.

The severed extension fell against the floor.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. Bastard hits hard."

The Lasher released another roar as more rounds struck its exposed torso.

Its flesh continued contracting around the wounds, but the damaged extensions were struggling to regenerate while the remaining limbs attempted to shield the central body.

The eastern squad launched several grenades into the thick growth connecting its torso to the underground network.

Explosions tore through the fleshy junctions, sending pieces of dark tissue and broken concrete across the interior as the creature twisted toward the new threat.

That movement exposed most of its swollen back. The DASF leader immediately raised his rifle.

"All squads, hit the exposed section!"

Heavy rounds poured into the creature from three directions, breaking through the layers of biological tissue as the Lasher struggled to cover itself with whatever extensions remained.

One operator launched another grenade directly into the damaged growth underneath its torso.

The explosion opened a large cavity across the lower body.

The Lasher screamed. Several of its underground extensions suddenly contracted, pulling more of the factory floor toward the central mass.

The building shook in response. Large cracks spread across the remaining support columns while steel beams began falling from the damaged roof.

The DASF leader checked the widening opening above the creature.

"That’s enough. All squads, pull out! Give the armor a clear shot!"

The operators withdrew through their respective approaches while the Lasher attempted to follow them with its remaining limbs.

Two hardened spikes shot toward the western squad, forcing one operator to change direction before another extension erupted through the floor beside the northern exit.

The northern DASFs fired into its exposed base, destroying enough tissue for the four operators to pass through.

Outside, Vanguard Two-Nine and the reinforcing armored elements had been following the fight through the shared Radar picture.

The central marker was now almost completely exposed.

"Vanguard Four-Six, western team clear!"

"North team clear!"

"Eastern side clear!"

The armored vehicles acquired the target through the openings Golden Eagle had torn across the fabrication complex.

The immobilized Vanguard adjusted its turret toward the central building, while two other MBTs approached their firing positions along the northern and western roads.

"Vanguards, engage!"

The first 120 mm shell struck the remaining wall surrounding the Lasher’s upper body.

Concrete and biological tissue exploded inward, tearing away a large portion of the structure while the second Vanguard fired through the opening.

Its shell struck the creature across the torso.

The impact drove the enormous body backward, tearing several tendrils from the surrounding machinery as the Lasher released another distorted roar.

A third shell arrived from the immobilized Vanguard.

The explosion ripped through the lower mass.

Several thick extensions broke apart, and a large section of the factory floor collapsed underneath the creature as the remaining biological growth struggled to hold its body in place.

"Target heavily damaged!"

The Lasher tried to pull itself underground.

Its swollen torso contracted, dragging the remaining tendrils inward while dark flesh began covering some of the wounds left by the tank shells.

However, much of the network underneath it was gone.

While it struggled, more shells struck the surrounding growth.

The Lasher attempted to raise another hardened spike, but the northern Vanguard fired before the extension could fully emerge, destroying both the limb and another section of the exposed torso.

"Central body is still active!"

"Air support, target exposed. Ground teams are clear!"

The Apache section that had been holding outside the engagement area received the updated target picture. With the rescued crewman evacuated and the DASFs outside the central structure, the aircraft finally had an exposed target to attack.

"Griffon Three-One, target acquired."

The lead Apache came around the northern side of the industrial district, its gunner following the enormous biological mass through the broken factory roof.

The Lasher was attempting to pull its head beneath another layer of flesh.

"Hellfire away."

The missile left the rail and crossed toward the exposed building, striking the creature’s upper body.

The explosion tore through the remaining biological covering and threw large sections of flesh across the ruined facility, while several of the thick extensions attached to its mouth snapped apart.

The Lasher convulsed.

Its remaining limbs struck the surrounding ruins, smashing through damaged machinery and broken walls before falling back toward the central body.

The Radar marker weakened.

"Target is still active! Three-Two, finish it."

The second Apache had acquired the same target.

"Second Hellfire away."

Another missile descended toward the ruined factory.

The Lasher raised one final tendril toward the approaching weapon, but the missile struck the central mass before the limb could reach it.

A violent explosion swallowed what remained of its upper body.

The surrounding growth contracted sharply, followed by several large extensions tearing free from the foundations as the main body collapsed into the broken floor.

The Radar marker disappeared.

Across the surrounding streets, the remaining biological outlines stopped moving.

Several spikes that had remained embedded in buildings began softening, while the thinner tendrils scattered through the underground network became motionless.

"Griffon Three-One, target destroyed."

"Vanguard Two-Nine confirms. Central marker is gone."

The DASF leader checked the Radar picture before lowering his HCMAR.

"Tier Two threat eliminated."

Vanguard Two-Nine’s squad leader finally relaxed against the side of his Guardian.

"That’s for our squad, fucker!"

He looked toward the ruined fabrication complex, where almost nothing remained of the original building.

The overturned Guardian was still beside the loading dock, and the immobilized Vanguard would need recovery before it could move again.

Several dead soldiers remained along the damaged streets, while the Medics were bringing the last wounded personnel toward the secured perimeter.

The squad leader opened the command channel.

"Southern Command, this is Vanguard Two-Nine. Heavy contact has been eliminated. We have casualties and damaged vehicles requiring recovery."

"Copy, Two-Nine. Recovery elements are being assigned. Maintain security around the complex."

"Understood."

The DASF squads began moving back toward their respective formations as Engineers approached the damaged vehicles to assess what could be recovered.

Vanguard Four-Six’s squad leader checked the wider Radar picture.

The Tank threat died under their combined fire, and so did the Leaper. Now, the Lasher had finally joined them.

He looked toward the northern districts, where other Golden Eagle formations were engaging the remaining infected concentrations around the Hive.

"Four-Six, prepare to move. We’ve spent enough time here."