Mutagen

Day 151 - 5:21 PM - Catanduanes Military Settlement, Barangay Codon, Municipality of San Andres, Catanduanes

After the arrival of the refugees and the difference in treatment the Military gave them, things were quite restless for the soldiers. Because of this, there was only one way to make the noisiest people quiet. It was to reveal that the treatment of these people was vouched by someone.

Sure enough, it made the people quieter about the situation. People being vouched was not a new thing in this settlement. As long as there was someone with high stature paying for better treatment of people, anyone could have the privilege.

Of course, having someone in position back you up was not an easy matter. Connections and luck were also required in which both were hard to acquire.

If one was a Mutator and was recruited by the Military or the Politicians, they could get better treatment. Well, it was not easy to become a Mutator, anyway.

The people relying on the rations of the Military and were still living in their shabby tents could only feel jealous of the newcomers. It made them wonder who was the mysterious person that vouched for all these people.

Unfortunately, while the problem about the refugees just started to die down, another problem cropped up. Well, not just one but two.

First was the dark clouds in the southeast of the island. The situation could not be seen in the settlement. However, they knew of it since the ominous scene was witnessed by the soldiers in the outpost in Santo Domingo. As such, the reports immediately reached the ears of General Padilla.

The second problem...

Seven aircraft of unidentified origin landed on the west beach of Codon. The aircraft that landed all seemed to be American models of modern helicopters. However, there were distinct differences in appearance which made the situation too dubious. Furthermore, it was unlikely for their government to have such kinds of military vehicles.

At this moment, General Padilla stood at the entrance of the forest facing the west beach. Around him were his soldiers, ready to attack if needed. Because of a lot of things happening on the island, their response was quicker this time. The soldiers managed to make a secure perimeter before the suspicious aircraft arrived.

"Got visuals, Andrew?"

General Padilla asked Andrew using his radio. Andrew, who had the best eyesight here was not positioned in a hidden area with his sniper rifle.

"Not yet, General," Andrew replied. "No one is alighting the vehicles yet. The windows on the vehicles were also strangely tinted. "

"Tch." General Padilla clicked his tongue. "Why are we getting all these troubles at the same time."

Then, the soldiers stiffened. Finally, the door of one aircraft opened. It was the centermost aircraft and the one that looked like a V-22 Osprey from America. However, instead of three tiltrotors, in had four instead. It looked like an Osprey turned into a giant drone.

The person that came out seemed to be a woman past her fifties. She wore a traditional dress, even though it was something not fit to wear in the apocalypse. Her hair was tied up into a large bun, and a rich air emanated from her.

"Hold fire!"

General Padilla immediately called out. There was no way that he would suddenly order his soldier to attack. After all, he recognized that woman.

"What the hell are they doing here?"

General Padilla said with a frown as he signaled his entourage and a few soldiers to follow him forward.

The woman waited for more people to come out of the aircraft and did the same as the General.

Soon, the two groups met in the middle of two camps.

"Good Afternoon General Padilla."

The woman greeted, offering the general a handshake.

General Padilla met the woman's eye straight and accepted the handshake.

"It is a surprise to see you here, Mrs. Marcos."

Melda Marcos. She was one of the former presidential first ladies in Philippine history. Furthermore, she was one of the most controversial women in politics. Well, not only her but her whole family.

Behind her were her family members, including the two senators, Erdin and Maria Josefa.

The Marcoses, being one of the richest families in the Phillippines, there were tons of controversies around them. And now, they suddenly appeared aboard suspicious aircraft, and with their own armed soldiers, it was far too strange.

Before the satellite communication got cut off, every military General in-charge of leading settlements was informed about many things. One of those was the locations of settlements and the important people residing in them.

However, in the middle of the situation when all politicians were evacuating and was recorded in various settlements, this family vanished. Although some of their relatives were left in some settlements, the members of the main family were not in records.

Then, for them to suddenly appear here... General Padilla felt it was suspicious.

"It is also a surprise for us to reach this place safely," Melda replied to the General. "The place we evacuated to got overrun by monsters. I hope we are welcomed in this place."

"Don't worry Madam." General smiled. Of course, it was a facade. "Anyone is welcome in our settlement."

"Of course, except for people that wanted to cause trouble."

The General subtly added. He said it in a joking manner but he was subtly warning all the people that could hear him.

The Madam's face remained the same, smiling. However, although unnoticeable, the people behind her felt sour, glaring at the impertinent General.

General Padilla then took out his radio.

"Prepare vehicles. We are bringing our guests to the settlement."

No one questioned the General, and vehicles were prepared soon. However, the soldiers were all unnerved about the situation. It was too fishy that even a regular soldier could notice.

The guests were brought to the settlement. However, they left a group of armed men to guard their aircraft that was left at the beach. Because of their sudden arrival, a landing area near the settlement was not prepared for that number of aircraft. Even the military only had a few helicopters that would soon be unusable because of the fuel turning bad. None of them would expect for any aircraft to come now.

While the guests left their private soldiers to guard the group of aircraft, the General also assigned people to secretly monitor the beach for strange activities.

Along the way, General Padilla and Madam Marcos chatted. Unexpectedly, the first topic they had was the phenomenon at the southeast of the island. It seemed that the darkness enveloping that area could be clearly seen in the sky.

Unfortunately, General Padilla had nothing to reply about the topic yet. Instead, he diverted the subject to the place where the Madam and her group came from.

At the General's side, Vanessa was listening quietly. It was until her eyes fell onto one of the people that came with the Marcoses. The other person was also staring at her. Once their eyes came in contact, they both subtly nodded at each other.

***

Day 151 - 8:22 PM - Gigmoto Mountains, Barangay Biong, Municipality of Gigmoto, Catanduanes

The Municipality of Gigmoto. It was a municipality north of Bato after the Municipality of Baras. It was a municipality with only six Barangays and small towns as the majority of the terrain was occupied by mountains and wide forests.

On the island of Catanduanes during the apocalypse, it was the least visited place even for the rebels. After all, there was nothing much to do here aside from facing danger. The Catanduanes Circumferential Road also did not pass by its territory. Instead, it had one road at the east coast, the Baras-Gigmoto-Viga Road, that could not be used at all since it would also pass through the dangerous area of Bato at its southern route.

Because no people came to this area, it was populated with ferocious evolved animals and plants instead. It was a peaceful place governed by nature.

Now, however, the peace was broken.

The animals, land or air creatures, fled the mountains and forests of Gigmoto. It was a scene that could only be seen before a natural disaster struck a place.

It was an odd thing to see the ferocious animals as large as cars run away in fear.

The only ones left in the area were feral animals that had no sense of danger. They were the kinds of creatures that would attack others on sight and without any fear.

However, those feral animals did not last at all. They were slaughtered like rabbits in front of the actual danger.

SPLAT! THUD!

An evolved feral dog about the size of a macho bike was torn in half and thrown away.

The culprit was a humanoid creature running in all fours with its elongated arms and legs. It looked like a flesh beast with tightly packed muscles about the size of a minivan.

"What the hell is this creature... I haven't seen something like that before. Wait, I guess I did. It's that low-rating movie, isn't it? The one with great visuals but poorly written plot and in-movie advertisements."

Mark murmured.

Flying up high in the sky, Mark was observing the mountains and forests in question.

After tearing the feral dog apart, the monster continued to run north with its pack. Mark also noticed that there were people riding on the back of the disgusting monster.

"In any case, those monsters surely are pets of the Demons."

Mark said with a frown.

The Demons moved earlier than Diwata Iraya predicted. While not organized, groups of Demons already left Bato when the moon began shining.

Faster Demons left the slower ones behind. All of them did not march altogether as a human army would.

Nonetheless, Mark could understand why. There was barely any danger for them to meet in these mountains. The territory of Diwata Iraya was still far up north and bordered around the Municipality of Viga. Because of this, it was very likely that they allowed the faster and stronger Demons to lead the way before they all meet up near the border.

Mark smiled.

Many Demon Races were born and lived through fighting and bloodshed. Nonetheless, most Demons in the mortal world avoided humans. It was either because the Demons saw humans nothing as prey or because they were simply afraid of human weapons. If they tried to live in places filled with humans, once their identity was compromised, their lives were forfeit.

And also because of that...

Most Demons in the human world lacked proper military education.

In a march towards war, clearing the way and making sure it was safe was the work of scouts and a small group of elites. Not half of the army that the Demons were currently doing.

An Army needed to stick and march together to maintain order and avoid massive losses once something went wrong.

Unfortunately, in a certain way, Demons in Rural areas like this could be considered uneducated barbarians.

Well, it was the same for the Spirits and Elementals since they behaved the same way.

The only way they knew to fight a war was a frontal fight. Of course, there were also schemes and ambushes. However, their strategies were severely lacking.

It was one of the reasons that even if they had magic and physical prowess, magical races still lost against humans.

Well, Mark was now in glee.

The Demons moved earlier than expected. However, it did not mean that Mark's camp could not do the same.

Mark moved around, observing the positions, speed, and even strength of the Demons for a few more minutes.

As silently he flew in the sky, Mark silently took out his radio.

"Go."

It was just a single word with two letters.

However, it was the start of a nightmare for the Demons.

The scattered Demons was perfect of Mark's machinations. Of course, he would not just go and kill them. The blood and magical fluctuations might alarm the enemies.

Well, it just meant that it was not Mark that would do the first moves.

Instead, it was the Yasaws.