Mystery In the Mist Forest 4

Chapter 14: Mystery In the Mist Forest 4

“COMMANDER, WE CAN SEE YOU DO NOT FUCKING RUN.”

R sighs, eyes wide as SHAID groans, “Here we go again.”

Gunfire starts to erupt as tanks open fire, the only target is one person: R.

“Why can’t I get a fucking break?!” R, filled with rage but too tired to move, knows he has no choice. He has to continue his race.

But as R is about to break into a run again, SHAID snaps inside his head, “R, stop. Don’t run.”

He skids to a halt, “Why?” he mutters under his breath. “They’re calling my name and they’re fuckin’ shooting at me!”

“Because maybe they know Commander R is in the Mist,” SHAID says, her tone suddenly thoughtful. “But you don’t fuckin’ look like Commander R anymore.”

And she’s right.

R looks down at himself. His black coat is shredded, barely holding together with blood-soaked patches. His arms are fat, swollen from swelling and wounds. His build has changed. He no longer looks like the thick, muscled commander who led the RIJJS squad. Thanks to the horrors of the mist and SHAID configuration of his body, he looks like a deranged, fat survivor lost in a nightmare broken, and forgotten.

He kneels instantly and raises both hands to the sky, his breath coming in short, hard bursts. Old scars crisscross his chest and bite marks from beasts in the forest still linger on his arms fading, but still ugly and raw.

Vehicles pull up around him, hissing as they settle. Soldiers and mercenaries dismount fast, weapons at the ready.

One of them shouts, “All weapons on him! Commander R, is that you?”

R forces a bitter laugh, arms still raised. “You think the famous Commander R would ever look like this piece of shit?”

They don’t lower their weapons.

As the group closes in, another voice calls out from behind the rifles, skeptical and mocking. “Then what the fuck are you doing in the forest alone, covered in blood?”

“I was part of a delivery crew,” R replies, trying to sound convincing. “We were moving a package for the Landlord, but my”

He’s cut off by laughter by the mercenaries find his story amusing, derisive chuckles spreading through the ranks.

But then everything stops as a new voice cuts through the fog, thick, commanding, and unsettling.

“So the Landlord is already recruiting fuckin’ fatties as mercenaries now? How come I’ve not seen you?”

Heads turn from behind the vehicles, a figure emerges from the thick mist. Soldiers shift uneasily. Even the mercenaries grow quiet. The man’s presence silences the crowd not out of respect, but out of fear as he steps closer, moving like a machine. The vehicles’ lights flicker across him as he comes into view.

Only his head remains fully human. His nose and mouth are encased in a dark, metallic oxygen mask. From the neck down, there’s nothing human left. His body is wrapped in silver, industrial cybernetics, cold, efficient, terrifying. A walking nightmare of reinforced alloy and human remnants.

SHAID whispers in R’s mind, “Eugh, what the fuck is this?”

R winces. “How the fuck is he walking? Is his whole body computerized?”

SHAID doesn’t skip a beat. “The big question is... how does he fuckin pee?”

R grimaces. “That’s not my fuckin’ concern, nor my fuckin’ question.”

“I don’t fuckin’ know either,” SHAID replies. “So, I’ll have to research his components. This’ll take time.”

The man’s mechanical respirator hisses, then his voice echoes through the filtered speakers.

“You’ve been in thought, fatty.”

R lifts his head, eyes steady. “Because I am new.”

The man tilts his head. “Ooh, but the Landlord doesn’t send any tenant errands without his caretaker’s acknowledgment. This mission, I know. The ordered package, I know. The crew, I also know. But you?”

The suspicion in his voice is sharp. As he studies R, more weapons begin to shift toward him again. They’re still not convinced.

SHAID mutters “Yooo I gotta give him credit. He might look and sound like a cheap knockoff of Ultron and Terminator combined, but he is sharp. He might blow your fuckin’ cover.”

R blinks in frustration, then locks eyes with the caretaker. “Well,” he says coolly, “not every message from the Landlord needs to go through the caretaker. Far as I know, you’re meant to take care of his property... not question it.”

The caretaker smiles hearing this and instantly his smile burst into laughter as a low, mechanical chuckle that reverberates from his chest like metal scraping metal. “Well, that’s why I’m here, fatty. To take care of his property.”

R’s voice sharpens. “Then do your damn job.”

This word is like a spark to a fuse.

“What the fuck did you say?” the caretaker snarls.

His metallic limbs begin to hum, light coursing through his arm as the alloy charges. His hands start to twist and transform, morphing into something more dangerous.

But instantly, the soldiers around him raise their weapons pointing not at R, but at the caretaker.

Tension cracks the air like lightning and everybody still.

The caretaker’s glare never leaves R. His weaponized arms still glow faintly, pulsing with restraint.

The leader among the soldier’s steps forward, his tone tense but controlled. “Mr. Caretaker, calm down. Don’t fuckin’ act rashly.”

Instantly, the atmosphere shifts.

The mercenaries raise their weapons in unison, mechanical clicks echoing through the thick mist forest air. The caretaker turns slowly toward the lieutenant, a smirk creeping across his scarred face as his eyes narrow.

“Do you think I give a fuck about you, lieutenant?” his voice sharp with disdain.

But the lieutenant doesn’t flinch. His hand remains close to his waist, just in case, but his eyes stay locked with the mercenary's, unblinking.

Then the lieutenant replies, saying, “But the Landlord does.”

The caretaker lets out a scoff, stepping forward with a low chuckle. His eyes narrow at R, scanning him with disgust. “He is bluffing. The Landlord does not know who he is. Who knows? He might be one of these fuckin' mist creatures. Let's kill him.”

A tense silence falls for a moment, broken by the lieutenant.

“We cannot.”

The caretaker turns sharply to him. “Why?”

The lieutenant’s face hardens as he takes a slow step forward, lowering his voice like he’s about to confess a terrifying secret. “Because he has seen and known things we fuckin' don’t. So we can't do shit.”

The caretaker’s eyes blaze with fury. He raises a finger toward the lieutenant’s face. “The only reason why you are alive is because the Landlord wants us to find that freakin' Commander together or else—”

The lieutenant interrupts, his voice rising. “Or else what? Don’t you forget the main cavalry with five captains are on their way.”

The caretaker throws his head back and laughs hard. “You think I give a fuck about the region captains?” He wipes a tear from his eye and grins like a madman. “You think I will be scared of a captain?”

The mercenaries join him in a chorus of dark laughter, their mocking tones bouncing through the trees.

Then he adds, louder now, “I heard the captains are kids. People say I could be on par with the legendary Commander R. You think a bunch of kids will scare me off?”

The lieutenant folds his arms as his expression is unreadable. “These ones will definitely do.”

The caretaker’s grin fades slightly, but he shrugs, trying to brush it off. “Whatever.”

Meanwhile, R listens to every word, kneeling on the dusty grounds with his arms resting on his knees, blood still soaking through the torn edges of his jacket. His gaze is distant, but his jaw clenches.

At least the soldiers are still a little bit sensitive... but teaming up with a mercenary? he thinks, frustrated.

How can the Region stoop so low? Also sending kids to this horror zone...

SHAID’s voice echoes in his mind, calm and calculating. “The kids will be very good if the Regions are depending on them.”

R responds in a whisper only he can hear, “Though this is all my fault.”

SHAID answers with a hint of sass, “Don’t do anything stupid because I am still cracking this cyborg’s body. And the fool thinks he’s on par with you? Ah, what a joke.”

R smirks weakly. “He is the Landlord's caretaker. So he can't be taken nicely.”

SHAID teases, “I'm not sure he will defeat Jessica or James.”

Her voice pulls up memories, warm ones. For a second, R’s eyes soften. The image of the RIJJS squad flashes through his mind. The teasing, the laughter, the battles. He smiles just a little, remembering their camaraderie.

But the caretaker’s bark pulls him right back to reality.

“Fatty, get up.”

R’s eyes darken. He stands slowly, his movements stiff, his body still recovering. The caretaker approaches, squinting at him suspiciously.

“If you want me to believe you, then why are you in this forest alone?”

R’s voice is low and steady. “Because the crew is dead, and I am the only survivor.”

The lieutenant’s brows furrow. “By who?”

R glances between them before saying, “By monsters.” He pauses. “Wolves that can imitate human forms.”

The caretaker scoffs looking at the lieutenant. “And you expect me to believe this bullshit?” as he points at R

The lieutenant cuts in firmly. “Believe it or not, he is the only survivor.”

The caretaker steps closer to R as the tension between them thick as fog. “Where is the package?”

R’s expression hardens. “I don’t know. Everything was too fast and we were all trying to escape. I barely escaped myself.”

The caretaker laughs bitterly, circling R. “Among all the strong men, you expect me to believe you survived from fuckin’ mist werewolves?”

R’s gaze sharpens. “There are things worse than mist werewolves and I have survived mush worse.”

Murmurs ripple through the ranks of soldiers and mercenaries alike. Some shift nervously. One whispers, “If there are werewolves, then the myth about mist snakes are true.”

Another voice adds, “I heard those things melt your skin just by looking at you.”

The caretaker glances at his men, sensing the rising unease. “I still don’t fuckin’ believe you,” he mutters, though doubt creeps into his voice.

His eyes sweep across R's body. Deep, jagged scars. Blood-soaked clothes. Bruises layered over bruises. The man should be dead. He thinks to himself.

How is he still standing?

How is he this fat, yet his body screams warrior?

Is this why the Landlord asked him to join behind my back? he wonders.

“Did the wolves do this?” he asks, almost without thinking.

R smirks. “Ooh, you believe me now?”

The caretaker scowls. “I still don’t believe you.”

“Fatty,” the lieutenant calls, gesturing him over.

R walks away from the caretaker slowly, still feeling the man’s gaze burning into his back. He stops before the lieutenant.

“Is it true? About the mystery of this island or forest?” the lieutenant asks, quieter this time.

R nods slowly. “Judging from what I’ve seen, everything is true.”

But a different worry stirs in his mind. Why is everything quiet? No beings attacking them... Have they fled due to the giant predators fighting in fear? Or are they planning a phase?

Then another thought unsettles him—the bodies on the ground, the ones with severed parts... they’re gone. Where are they?

He shakes the thought off.

Then he turns to the lieutenant, his voice suddenly sharp. “Why the fuck are you teaming with us mercenaries?”

The lieutenant clenches his fist and frowns, his voice bitter. “Like we have a fuckin’ choice.”

R looks confused by the word as the lieutenant continues, eyes sharp with resentment.

“The world is fuckin' ending. Ever since the announcement of the Hunt, soldiers have dropped out of the military. Most Steforians who were funding us? They’ve traveled back to their planets. Nothing's been at peace especially the military. You mercenaries keep attacking, destroying homes… making life hell for everyone.

"And there’s this cult—these truth bringer bastards—spreading rumors that the end of the world is a blessing. Everyone is living in fear. And you mercenaries are just making it worse.

"If I had my way, I would’ve arrested every one of you already. Do you even realize how many lives you’ve ruined? How many homes you’ve destroyed? I’ve heard rumors—aliens killing and raping humans for sport. And your kind… your kind sacrifices your soul just to get stronger with what rice huh? By killing or transporting your fellow human!!!

"The greed in our blood hasn’t left us since our ancestors walked this planet.

"If I had the power, I would jail every last one of you. Or worse. But I can’t. Because I have to work with them to capture Commander R—the man we all once believed in. The man who made us think that fighting for humanity was the greatest cause.”

The lieutenant’s voice lowers, filled with pain.

“I remember when mercenaries launched a full-scale attack on the West Region. The gates malfunctioned, disease was everywhere, soldiers were falling. But Commander R and his RIJJS squad held the line of against 150 mercenaries with only fifty men. Soldiers fighting with him died with honor and respect for him. Because he gave us hope. He was everything to us. Loved. Respected.

"But maybe even good men change when greed enters their heart.

"So, I’ll say this once. Stop this mercenary bullshit. Live your remaining days like a man. I can tell… somewhere inside all that ruggedness, you’re still a good person.”

These words hit R harder than bullets. Tears begin to fall from his one eye. His fists tighten as he tries to stay composed but his mind crumbles.

“What have I done…” he thinks to himself, barely above a whisper.

“I’ve destroyed the military’s spirit. I’m a disgrace…”

He cries inside, though on the outside, he still looks like a man barely holding it together.

Then… something shifts.

From grief to hatred.

"Those bastard Steforians… especially their Supreme Leaders. I’ll wipe you off this planet. I swear it.”

Then, he asks, “I see you had faith in the captains arriving?”

The lieutenant nods, a soft smile crossing his face.

“When the world seems to end… nature always surprises us. These captains… they feel like the rebirth of Commander R. Three from the Central Region. One from the East. Two from the West. Captain Trevor and… a Steforian. Captain Stone.”

R’s heart skips a beat.

Trevor? Among the new Captains?

He’s proud… and broken. That Trevor is bearing the burden he created.

He then asks, “A Steforian joined the region’s forces?”

The lieutenant nods again. “He’s… different. Most Steforians on Earth are civilians. The military ones stayed behind on their planet. But this one? He refused to join the Supreme Special Service. Said he wanted to protect his brothers and sisters. He’s a close friend of Captain Trevor. Always sides with humans.

"They’re blessings, especially the one from the East—Captain Akumakawaii; They call him the cute devil. Just sixteen.”

SHAID chirps in, “He broke your record, R.”

R smirks, “Just a year, darling.”

The lieutenant raises a brow. “Enough questions. I’m supposed to be interrogating you, not the other way around. Now tell me more about this place—”

A loud, piercing screech cuts him off.

Animals begin to crawl from every corner.

Humans dead long ago now rise, transformed and lifeless. Giant spiders crawl over the walls. Horror seeps into every corner.

Weapons start firing. Chaos erupts.

“What the hell is that sound?!” the lieutenant shouts.

R replies, eyes burning:

“This is what the Mist does. You wanted to know? Brace yourself, soldier.”

Reaper begins to form from R’s hands, becoming two glowing katanas.

The lieutenant steps back. “That’s… a Reaper? Who the fu—”

R cuts him off. “Not now, lieutenant. Not now.”

The horror begins.

Across the field, the mercenaries stare in confusion. The caretaker turns to Fatty.

“Is this what you are talking about?”

R says nothing.

The attack from the Mist-bringers starts flooding in. Toward the soldiers. The mercenaries. Toward everything.

And the horror continues…

The battle goes on as the attack intensifies.
Mercenaries drops, dead soldiers begin to rise.
A single bite from a wolf transforms the mercenaries and soldiers into Mist.

As the attack continues, R is tired and weak. His legs begin to shake.
“SHAID… what is wrong again?” R asks.
SHAID replies, “We need to leave this place as soon as possible.”
R says, “Your body is reacting to the child still in your body. Why do I feel like this place is a trap for us?”
SHAID responds, “We have no choice.”

As time goes on and the hours pass, the more the Mist creatures die, the more the attack on R continues.
Soldiers start to drop dead and turn into Mist themselves, making it more difficult.
The issue is: most of this attack is focused on R — like he's the main attraction.

Instantly, he moves away from the soldiers’ position to reduce their deaths.
But the attraction continues coming toward him.
He keeps slaughtering, but they keep coming.

As things take a worse turn, the cavalry joins the battle — the captains have arrived.
R, not knowing what’s going on because he’s already tired, is now furious.
He’s sweating profusely. His rage increases.Although his eyes are dizzy, his legs feel like water.

The bites from the animals still continue.
As he gets tired, he cuts off a wolf’s head and screams,
“Fuuuuuck!!”

Then he hears a voice:

“That’s… that’s fuckin’ Commander R!!”

It’s Trevor.

R, in exhaustion, looks toward him and sees Trevor shouting.
SHAID responds, “Well… he’s back.”

Trevor tries to explain. His voice is familiar to everyone — they know him.
Then all weapons are pointed at R.

R, in disappointment, looks at the lieutenant.
The lieutenant stares back — eyes filled with pity and rage.

That look makes R’s heart bitter and sad.
R says to Trevor,

“Trevor... not fuckin’ now...”

Before anyone can move; A loud screech shakes the battlefield.

It’s deeper.

Louder than anything before.

Not just a snake’s hiss but like a giant wolf's howl mixed in.

R uses the distraction to escape as Mercenaries and scavengers open fire and pursue R.

as the captains prepare to pursue, it becomes too late.

Because, more Mist creatures, dead soldiers begin to arise and attack like they heard the call from their leader

And then...

Six giant snakes just like the ones the captains just defeated ready to attack