"Alright, we're here-"
Myungjun felt a gas mask be shoved onto his head, making him choke from the tightness around his jaw.
"And what was that for?!" He snapped, adjusting it a little.
"We don't know if the virus is easily spread. We need these on." Tae said, him having a mask too.
Eunwoo had followed on, light flashing orange as he took in the new environment.
"Hey- your machine, will it need a mask too?"
"Why the fuck would he need a mask."
"I don't know, the fumes could damage his processors or something?"
Myungjun blinked and turned to Eunwoo, who looked at him.
"Do you need a gas mask? Or will your system survive the toxic fumes?"
"My systems are built to sustain any sort of poison or harmful vapour. I will be just fine without one, but I give my dearest thanks for the offer."
Myungjun nodded and Tae led them to site, the omega nearly gagging at the sight.
It was a wolf, an Alpha it seemed.
Its guts were spilling out of its body, its mouth was open, with a red-like liquid leaking out of it onto the ground.
Its eyes were blood shot red, and there was a stench of vomit near the wolf.
"Whatever this fucking virus is.. it's no good." Tae mumbled, holding his clipboard close.
"You're right. Eunwoo? Take a sample."
"On it, Captain."
Eunwoo went up to the infected wolf and pulled its jaws open slightly, swiping his fingers across its tongue.
His system worked hard, searching for what sort of virus this could be- before he finally found it.
"I have analysed the virus, and have come to a conclusion. Would you like me to elaborate on my research?"
Myungjun gestured for him to go ahead.
"Regulus - long considered a myth, something made up. However, it is a deadly virus that affects the nervous system and the brain cells. Some wolves consider it a blessing from a divine being. The infected regenerate wounds much faster than an average wolf, and they possess insane strength that usually causes them to turn agggresive in situations that are minor." He began.
"When enough anger builds up in their body, they release a toxin that makes their strength go up by 100%. That is, what you would call, 'Berserker mode'. They are dangerous, yet easily found as they are much larger than a normal wolf of their rank."
Myungjun hummed as he listened, nodding.
"So these things - are they caused by direct contact or what?"
"They can be. But Regulus is also genetically passed down, though it is rare. Genetic Regulus is less dangerous than the virus version, but you will, sooner or later, die from the virus by disintegration."
"Disi- really?"
"Yes, Captain."
Tae quickly wrote everything down.
"Alright! Awesome, we know more about this now. One more thing we need you to investigate- see that vine covered tree? Yeah, take a look and see if anything is there."
"Sure." Myungjun said, going to the spot they were directed to, while Eunwoo followed on.
Myungjun pushed past the vines, cutting some away with his knife, ears perking up when he heard a weird noise.
Eunwoo's sensors picked up the sound too, light flashing yellow.
Myungjun took out his gun, and went in, growling mentally.
Something was very wrong with this place- it didn't seem normal.
It was unsettling, and it seemed.. detached from the outside world.
It was murky and silent, occasional croaks of frogs or singing of birds.
Suddenly, they heard a series of wet noises. As if something was eating something messily.
Myungjun slowly headed towards the noise, hiding behind a tree when he spotted a figure of a wolf.
Its body was odd in shape- it sunk down on it's stomach and then it rose up on its chest.
Its legs had fur missing and bones were sticking out all over its body.
Its tongue was lolling out of its mouth, red slime-like liquid dripping down it onto the ground.
It was eating another wolf, who looked as malnourished and sick like the one at the act.
Eunwoo scanned its health, and determined that it was too far gone for any questioning.
"Hide somewhere, okay? If it comes at me, you come help, yeah? I don't know its rank so.."
"I understand."
Eunwoo left him and went to hide somewhere, Myungjun slightly uneasy.
He headed onwards, gun aimed at the wolf.
Maybe he could talk to it?
It didn't look in a proper state to be questioned though.
It whirled around, jaws snapping in his direction.
Its eyes were blood red, and even though it looked in his direction - it didn't seem to be looking at him.
It seemed.. blind?
It growled as it padded around, tail swaying in annoyance.
Myungjun started walking closer to it, but something snapped around his already injured leg.
He yelped, and quickly looked down to see a trap.
The wolf heard him, and it snarled, charging at him.
He panicked, and drew his gun, shooting it in the head.
It howled and stumbled a bit, before it was slammed to the ground by a silver wolf.
Myungjun bent down, containing his groans of pain while he attempted to take off the trap.
He took it off finally, and threw it into the lake near them, growling at the intense pain.
He grabbed his gun, when he felt something sharp go into his back.
He cried out in pain, falling forwards, whirling around.
There was a pack of wolves, all seemingly bloody and feral.
"Fucking hell!" He cursed, aiming his gun at them and firing.
They fell to the ground with yowls, while some charged at him.
Eunwoo appeared right in front of him, light spinning red as he growled, the wolves whining when they stopped running.
Myungjun got up, reloading his gun when he felt a wave of dizziness overcome him.
"Leave." Eunwoo snarled, lashing out at them, and the wolves quickly scattered.
The infected wolf lay dead a few feet away from them, red liquid spilling out of its deformed mouth. It seemed as if its eyes were pulsating.
The android shifted back, wiping off the blood from the wolf that ended up on his jaw.
"Captain, it is necessary we leave this area. It seems highly in risk of infection-"
He stopped when he heard growls and whines, mechanical ears perking up.
He saw Myungjun's gun on the ground, covered with the slimy, scarlet substance.
Eunwoo bent down and touched the substance, about to sample it, when he heard shuffling noises.
His light flashed yellow, ears listening intently.
"Captain?" He called out, alert.
There was something very wrong going on.
He searched through all of the bushes there, when he finally found a curled up figure, clutching their leg, turned away.
"Captain? Have you been injured? I can help you with any wounds you may have acquired in this situation. " Eunwoo offered.
Myungjun didn't respond.
Eunwoo tilted his head at him, before he quickly made a call.
"Who's this?"
"This is Eunwoo, Kim Myungjun's assistant. We are in the heavily contaminated area that you sent us to check out. Captain has been injured and he is not responding. Please wear gas masks and head into the area as soon as possible."
"Oh? Oh yeah right, you've been injured? We're on it, give us a second."
"We will wait."
He hung up, and turned around just in time to dodge a wolf lunging at him.
It had a messed up leg, and it was snarling.
"Captain?" Eunwoo said, light flashing yellow.
He quickly jumped out of place when he lunged at him again.
It was the infection, it was causing violence.
Eunwoo noticed the gas mask hanging off of his neck, it was cracked and broken.
Hopefully it didn't spread too much.
"Captain, think rationally please. You need to regain-"
He dodged his attack again.
He couldn't injure him, the least he'd have to do is keep him from leaving the area and.. to not get damaged himself.
He stayed in his human form, knowing his wolf form was much larger than the other, he didn't want to seem intimidating.
Eunwoo felt himself being slammed down to the ground, fighting off the jaws of an angry wolf.
"Get off of him, now!"
Myungjun yelped as a shot rang out, stumbling off of Eunwoo.
Eunwoo got up, light flashing red.
He saw two officers in gas masks, holding guns.
"Are you fucking insane? You shot Captain Kim!" Eunwoo snapped, going up to them.
"He was attacking you, you dumbass robot! I'm almost 100% sure Electro.corp don't want you back for repairs just yet, they just began working on your broken model." The cop snarled, poking him with the muzzle of his pistol.
"I was given the mission to assist Captain Kim. I will make sure to pass on a report to your higher ups of this situation. Do not except a decent paycheck this week." Eunwoo said, an icy sneer in his tone, his light flashing red.
Medics came running in, quickly getting the Captain up onto a stretcher, while Eunwoo watched, them hauling him away.
"We have investigated this area and found a pack of infected wolves and a mutated species." Eunwoo said, light flashing back to white as he looked at the officer.
"I will be on the premises if you need any sampling. I will be leaving later, however."