The Mysterious Resurrection at the Beginning of Infinite Terror

Chapter 12 Killing the Alien Queen

The exploration team paused briefly near the corrosion marks to confirm there was no immediate danger before continuing towards the medical bay. Along the way, they discovered several more similar marks, and even found half-eaten crew member corpses at a corner – a gruesome scene. Ba Wang and Li Shuaixi were pale, barely suppressing their urge to vomit. Ling Dian and Zhang Jie remained expressionless, while Zheng Zha gritted his teeth, his eyes burning with rage.

Wang Lin, however, was more concerned about the environment. He noticed that these traces seemed to form a path leading to the lower level of the spaceship. "The alien nest is likely in the lower cargo hold or the ecological zone; the Queen is there," he whispered to Zheng Zha and Zero.

Finally, they found the sign for the medical room on level B. The door was airtight, but it appeared to have been violently damaged and was ajar. Zero gestured for silence, then turned sideways and gently pushed the door open with the muzzle of his gun (he had a pistol he had exchanged from the Main God Space).

The room was a mess. Medicine cabinets were overturned, equipment was scattered all over the floor, and several medical beds were overturned. But surprisingly, the four cryogenic hibernation chambers in the corner appeared intact, their indicator lights still glowing a faint green. More importantly, in a locked cabinet (which Zero used lock-picking skills to open), they found two medical laser scalpels (their energy was about to run out, but they could still be used a few more times), some sedatives, painkillers, antibiotics, and—most importantly—a simple, enclosed environmental protective suit (similar to a hazmat suit, but lighter, with its own half-hour oxygen circulation).

"Great stuff!" Zheng Zha picked up the protective suit. "This should protect against the facehugger's strong acid and suffocation, right?"

"It might not completely prevent them from entering, but it can buy them time." Wang Lin checked the control panel of the hibernation pods. "The key is these hibernation pods. The freeze function can instantly create temperatures below -100 degrees Celsius. If we can lure the aliens inside..."

"Or, we could remove the refrigeration unit from the hibernation pod and convert it into a mobile refrigeration unit." A calm voice came from the doorway. Chu Xuan, along with Zhan Lan, Li Xiaoyi, and several newcomers, had also found their way here.

"Why are you here?" Zheng Zha asked in surprise.

"Based on the information provided by Wang Lin, the medical room is the primary target. We found the floor plan for this floor, avoiding several dangerous areas, and our route is better than yours." Chu Xuan walked to the hibernation pods and began a quick inspection. "The hibernation pods' cooling systems are independent and can be disassembled. But that requires tools and time. Also, on my way here, I connected to the monitoring system of some areas through a still-functioning terminal. I saw some interesting things."

He pulled out a handheld display panel detached from the terminal, displaying several blurry images. One image showed the entrance to the lower cargo hold, covered in a thick, biological-tissue-like slime, with a large, oval-shaped egg-like object vaguely visible. Another image showed the engineering area, where a figure dressed in engineer's clothing, but moving stiffly and strangely, was fiddling with something. Yet another image showed the bridge, where a blonde woman (Ripley) was nervously operating the control console, with a man beside her (who appeared to be the cyborg Ash).

"The lair is in the lower cargo hold, and it's already formed. The Queen should be inside. The cyborg Ash is in the engineering area, seemingly trying to repair some system on the ship, possibly to ensure the ship can return with the Xenomorph samples. Ripley is on the bridge; she's still alive and trying to initiate a self-destruct sequence or call for help," Chu Xuan quickly analyzed. "We don't have much time. Ash might try to stop us or guide the Xenomorphs to eliminate us. Ripley is an ally we need to win over; she has the highest authority and might know how to activate the ship's weapon systems or self-destruct."

"So what's our next step?" Zheng Zha asked.

Chu Xuan looked at Wang Lin: "You mentioned before that killing the Queen grants a C-level side quest and 3000 reward points. From a profit-maximizing perspective, if we succeed, everyone will receive a substantial reward, which is crucial for the team's initial accumulation. However, the risk is extremely high. Do you have any specific suggestions?"

Wang Lin knew that Chu Xuan was testing the depth of his information and giving him an opportunity to "demonstrate his value." He had to come up with a convincing solution.

"My suggestion is to exploit the Queen's bound state and its weakness to set a trap for a one-hit kill, avoiding a protracted battle," Wang Lin said in a deep voice. "The Queen is bound to the nest by its ovipositor, which is its greatest weakness. We need to lure it out of the nest, or send our attack in."

"specific."

"Option 1: Lure the Queen out of the nest and into a pre-designed trap zone, such as near the furnace or reactor in the engineering area, and eliminate her using high temperatures or an explosion. However, the Queen may become extremely dangerous and violent if she leaves the nest, and how to lure her out is a problem."

"Option Two: We won't go in; we'll attack from a distance. We'll use the cutting and welding torches (high-temperature flames) in the engineering area and the refrigeration units of the hibernation pods in the medical room (to create extreme low temperatures) to modify them into long-range jet propulsion devices. At the same time, we'll gain weapon access to the bridge. If the ship has defensive weapons (such as laser cannons or missiles, although that's unlikely), or at least be able to control the access control and exhaust systems in certain areas, we can create a vacuum or release poison gas (if any)."

"Option Three: The most direct, but also the most dangerous—penetrate deep into the hive, plant high explosives at close range on the Queen or key support points of the hive, and then detonate them. This requires someone to be able to break through the alien worker bees' defenses and get close to the Queen."

Wang Lin paused, then looked at Chu Xuan: "But regardless of the plan, we need to address several prerequisites: 1. Clear or lure away the ordinary Xenomorphs around the nest. 2. Ensure the android Ash doesn't cause trouble (ideally, control or destroy him beforehand). 3. Gain Ripley's cooperation, or at least partial control of the bridge. 4. Buy time to act before the Queen lays more eggs and Xenomorphs."

Chu Xuan quickly took notes, then adjusted his glasses: "Options two and three can be combined. We need to work in groups."

"Group A, consisting of myself, Zero, Wang Lin, and two volunteers (Ba Wang and Li Shuaixi), will go to the engineering area to obtain welding torches and tools, attempt to disassemble the hibernation pod's cooling unit, and search for possible high explosives (engineering explosives) or flammable and explosive materials. At the same time, we will attempt to control or destroy the cyborg Ash."

"Team B, consisting of Zheng Zha, Zhang Jie, and Zhan Lan, will proceed to the bridge to rendezvous with Ripley, obtain higher clearance, attempt to activate the ship's self-inspection weapon system, and control access to key areas. Simultaneously, they will provide intelligence support through surveillance."

"Group C, led by Li Xiaoyi, will consist of the remaining new recruits and one volunteer (the relatively calm young man). They will stay in the medical room to establish defenses and attempt to use medical equipment to make some simple cryogenic bombs (by injecting refrigerant into sealed containers) or firebombs."

"After acquiring the necessary equipment, Team A and Team B meet up in a safe area near the nest. Team A creates a trap, while Team B uses its privileges to control the environment around the nest (such as shutting off ventilation, releasing specific gases, or creating noise to attract aliens). Then, Team A infiltrates the nest to plant explosives while simultaneously using flamethrowers and cryogenic weapons to suppress the Queen. Finally, the trap is detonated remotely."

Chu Xuan's plan was more specific and bolder than Wang Lin's, proceeding on three fronts simultaneously to maximize the use of time and human resources.

"This is too dangerous!" Zheng Zha objected. "Dividing our forces is already very risky; to infiltrate the lair and plant bombs? That's suicide!"

"Therefore, precise calculations and coordination are needed." Chu Xuan looked at Wang Lin. "The information you provided indicates that the Queen is bound and her movements are restricted. As long as we can clear out the guarding aliens near the nest in a short time, or lure them away with bait, we will have a chance to get close. The bomb can be planted on the Queen's body or at the structural support point of the nest, causing a collapse that crushes the Queen. Combined with fire and low temperature, it will cause multiple kills."

"The key is speed and stealth. Zero has stealth and sniping capabilities, allowing him to eliminate key targets remotely. Wang Lin has reconnaissance and contractual abilities, enabling him to provide early warnings and coordination. Overlord and Li Shuaixi will serve as support and transport. I will be responsible for calculations and installation." Chu Xuan's tone was as if he were stating a matter of course.

"I agree," Wang Lin suddenly spoke, looking at Zheng Zha. "Zheng Zha, I know the risks. But Chu Xuan is right, this is the way to maximize profits. Moreover, if we just hold out for 72 hours, we might survive, but we'll lose the opportunity to obtain a C-level side quest and a large number of reward points. In the Main God Space, without enhancements and resources, we'll only die in a future horror movie. This adventure is for longer-term survival."

He approached the issue from a perspective of self-interest, getting straight to the heart of the matter: "Think about Lori, think about Zhan Lan, think about yourself. Do you want to be able to protect them? Do you want to stop being so powerless, watching your comrades die? Do you want to have enough resources to survive in the next, even more terrifying world? Then, we must seize this opportunity. Moreover, we have the advantage of information, Chu Xuan's wisdom, your strength, Ling's marksmanship, Zhang Jie's experience, and my support. As long as we coordinate well, the success rate is not low."

Zheng Zha fell silent. He thought of his comrades who died in Resident Evil, his own helplessness in the face of the Lickers, and the thrill he felt when he saw those powerful bloodlines and skills in the God Realm. He longed to become stronger, and he longed to protect the people who mattered to him.

"...I understand," Zheng Zha finally said through gritted teeth, "but you must promise not to sacrifice anyone carelessly! Especially the decoy! We must use a smarter method to lure the aliens away!"

"Of course." Chu Xuan nodded. "I will design sound, heat, or gas decoys, utilizing the spaceship's ventilation system or deployment equipment. No living people are needed."

"Then I'll go to Group A too," Zhang Jie suddenly said, grinning. "How could I miss out on something this exciting? Besides, I'm a little interested in that cyborg."

Chu Xuan glanced at Zhang Jie and did not object: "Okay. Then the adjustments for Group A are: Chu Xuan, Ling Dian, Wang Lin, Zhang Jie, Ba Wang, and Li Shuaixi. Group B: Zheng Zha, Zhan Lan, plus two newcomers (volunteers) to go to the bridge; the number of people should not be too large. Group C: Li Xiaoyi will lead the remaining people."

"Maintain contact via communicator every five minutes. In case of danger, press the distress signal. If the plan deviates significantly from its intended course, prioritize your own safety, abandon the mission, and retreat to the medical bay to hold your position," Wang Lin added. This was an insurance policy added to the contract.

"Alright, let's move out." Chu Xuan handed the display panel to Zheng Zha. "It shows the routes to the engineering area and the bridge, as well as real-time monitoring footage. Be careful."

The three groups split up and acted separately.

Wang Lin followed Chu Xuan toward the engineering area. On the way, he whispered to Chu Xuan, "The cyborg Ash's weakness is in his head, but destroying his brain might not be enough. It would be best to completely destroy his core energy source in his torso. He has great strength and speed; avoid close combat."

"Understood." Chu Xuan nodded. "Zero will be responsible for sniping its head remotely, and I will prepare high-voltage devices to try to disable its system. The engineering area should have what we need."

The engineering area, located in the middle of the spaceship, was a huge compartment filled with various pipes and machines. When they arrived, they found Ash busy at a control panel, his back to the entrance.

Zero silently secured a high position, aiming his gun at the back of Ash's head. Zhang Jie and Wang Lin flanked him from both sides. Chu Xuan went directly to another workbench and began disassembling the welding equipment.

Just as midnight was about to pull the trigger, Ash seemed to have eyes in the back of her head and suddenly rolled to the side!

Bang! The bullet struck the control panel, sparks flying.

"Humans, you shouldn't be here." Ash turned his head, his face expressionless, his eyes cold. "The Xenomorph is a perfect creature, and the Corporation needs it. Your resistance is futile."

"Fire!" Chu Xuan shouted coldly.

Ash fired continuously at midnight, but his speed was astonishing as he weaved through the machinery, with most of his bullets hitting the equipment. Zhang Jie also fired, but his bullet trajectories always seemed to miss by a hair's breadth.

Wang Lin didn't have a gun. He quickly scanned his surroundings and spotted a high-voltage electrical box nearby with warning signs. A thought struck him, and he shouted to Chu Xuan, "Chu Xuan! The electrical box!"

Chu Xuan instantly understood. While dodging the tools Ash threw at him (with tremendous force), he quickly removed the welding torch and fired it at the latch of the high-voltage electrical box!

*Zzzzt!* A high-voltage arc flashed! The lights in the entire construction area suddenly went out, then the emergency lights came on. Ash's movements abruptly froze, sparks flying from his body; he was clearly being interfered with.

"Now!" Zero shot struck Ash in the knee, causing him to stagger. Zhang Jie seized the opportunity to rush forward and kick Ash hard in the chest, sending him flying and crashing into the metal wall.

Chu Xuan had already pointed the welding torch at Ash's head: "Move again, and I'll burn your core processor."

Ash fell to the ground, mechanically twisted her neck, making a cracking sound, and then stopped moving, the light in her eyes extinguished.

"Is he dead?" the Overlord asked.

"Temporarily paralyzed. To ensure, complete destruction is necessary." Chu Xuan stepped forward, pointed the welding torch at the junction of Ash's head and chest, and pulled the trigger.

Scorching flames erupted, engulfing Ash's head and upper body. Metal and synthetic tissues melted and burned under the intense heat, emitting a pungent odor. Chu Xuan only stopped when the entire torso was almost burned through.

"Done." Chu Xuan put away the welding torch and began searching the construction area. They found two intact cutting welding torches (fully fueled), several pieces of construction explosives (for blasting obstacles), some high-pressure gas cylinders (oxygen and nitrogen), and most importantly—a small portable refrigeration unit (for cooling local equipment).

"Very good, all the tools are ready." Chu Xuan began assembling quickly. He connected the outlet of the refrigeration unit to a metal pipe, making a simple cryogenic injector. He then combined engineering explosives and a nitrogen cylinder to create a cryogenic detonation device (releasing a large amount of cryogenic gas upon explosion). The welding torch itself was a high-temperature weapon.

"Wang Lin, you, Ba Wang, and Li Shuaixi, take the welding torch and cryogenic sprayer. At Zero Point, you'll be responsible for providing cover and sniping any aliens that might appear. Zhang Jie, you and I will plant the explosives together," Chu Xuan assigned the tasks.

"The surveillance shows three Xenomorphs patrolling near the nest. Zheng Zha has arrived on the bridge and is trying to gain access. Ripley has agreed to cooperate, but requires us to ensure that all Xenomorphs are killed, including the Queen." Chu Xuan looked at the message transmitted back from Zheng Zha. "She will try to shut off the ventilation in the nest area and create noise to attract the patrolling Xenomorphs away. We have about a five-minute window."

"That's enough." Zhang Jie weighed the explosives in his hand.

The group arrived at the entrance to the lower cargo hold. Thick biological tissue covered the door, but there was a hole that had been forcibly broken open in the middle, from which came a nauseating stench and faint hissing sounds.

"This is it." Chu Xuan gestured.

Soon, Zheng Zha's voice came through the earpiece: "Chu Xuan, Ripley has activated the ventilation fan above the nest to create noise. The surveillance shows that two aliens have been attracted there. There is still one left near the nest entrance, about twenty meters to your left at three o'clock, behind a shipping container."

Zero immediately turned his gun around and aimed in that direction. He held his breath and pulled the trigger.

A silenced pistol made a soft thud. In the distance, behind a shipping container, came the sound of something heavy falling.

"Clear".

"action!"

Chu Xuan and Zhang Jie were the first to crawl into the cave entrance, followed closely by Wang Lin, Ba Wang, and Li Shuaixi, with Ling Dian bringing up the rear.

The interior of the nest was even dimmer, with only a faint phosphorescence from the biological tissue. The ground was covered in a slimy secretion, and the walls were thickly coated with organic matter. Huge, organ-like eggs were scattered everywhere, some still wriggling slightly. The air was thick with the stench of acid and decay.

Deep within the lair, a colossal creature came into view.

It was a colossal beast, four meters tall and seven or eight meters long! It possessed a streamlined, metallic-sheen black carapace, a massive head with a fan-shaped crest, and a long tail trailing behind it. Most terrifyingly, its lower body was connected to a huge, constantly writhing ovipositor, firmly anchored to the bottom of its lair. It was the Alien Queen!

The queen seemed to sense the intruder. She raised her head and let out a low, threatening growl, her huge inner fangs extending and retracting in her mouth.

"As planned! Wang Lin, Ba Wang, suppress it with the welding torch and cryogenic injector! Li Shuaixi, prepare the explosives! Lingdian, keep watch around! Zhang Jie, come with me, install the explosives at the connection of its ovipositor and the nest support pillars!" Chu Xuan spoke very quickly, but without any confusion.

Wang Lin and Ba Wang immediately raised their welding torches, and two blazing flames shot towards the Queen! The Queen let out a painful screech, and its carapace emitted blue smoke from the high temperature. It tried to swing its claws, but its range of movement was limited due to the restraint of its ovipositor.

Li Shuaixi then picked up the cryogenic injector and sprayed extremely cold nitrogen mist at the ground near the Queen's nozzle. The low temperature spread rapidly, and the Queen's movements became noticeably slower, with white frost forming on her carapace.

Chu Xuan and Zhang Jie, as nimble as monkeys, seized the opportunity while the Queen was suppressed and quickly rushed to her side. Zhang Jie used a high-vibration particle knife (exchanged from the Main God Space?) to stab the weak point connecting the Queen's ovipositor to her body, securing a bomb. Chu Xuan then installed another, larger bomb on a thick metal support pillar in the nest, which appeared to be reinforced with secretions.

"Installation complete! Retreat!" Chu Xuan shouted.

Everyone immediately retreated. The queen struggled frantically, seemingly trying to break free of her restraints; her ovipositor was torn, leaking thick fluid. But she couldn't completely detach herself for the time being.

"Detonate!"

Chu Xuan pressed the remote control.

Boom! Boom!

Two deafening explosions, almost simultaneous! The connection point of the ovipositor was severed, and the queen let out an agonizing scream as her lower body was mangled beyond recognition. The explosion of the supporting pillar caused the roof of the nest to collapse, sending large chunks of metal and biological tissue crashing down, partially burying the queen.

"Not dead yet! Finish her off!" Wang Lin saw that the Empress was still struggling, even trying to use her forelimbs to dig away the rubble covering her body.

"Use this!" Chu Xuan threw the last cryogenic explosive device at the Queen. Wang Lin reacted quickly, aiming his welding torch at the flying device and firing!

The flame ignites the explosive.

BOOM!

A chilling white wave swept out, engulfing the Queen entirely! The extreme cold instantly froze its wounds, bodily fluids, and even parts of its carapace. The Queen froze completely, turning into an ice sculpture.

"Now! Everyone, full firepower!" Chu Xuan roared.

Zero aimed at the Queen's eyes (though the alien might not rely on vision) and mouth area, firing continuously. Wang Lin, Ba Wang, and Zhang Jie unleashed their welding torches at full power, concentrating on burning the Queen's frozen head and chest. Li Shuaixi also switched to a nail gun he found in the construction area and fired wildly at the Queen.

Under the combined impact of high temperatures, freezing temperatures, explosions, and bullets, the Queen's sturdy shell finally shattered, her body was torn apart, and her highly acidic blood gushed out, corroding the ground and further destroying her remains.

Finally, the terrifying beast stopped struggling, collapsed to the ground, and its life force completely dissipated.

[Complete the bonus mission: Eliminate all aliens (including the Alien Queen).]

[The entire team has received one C-rank side quest and 3000 reward points. Rewards will be distributed according to contribution upon return.]

The notification sounded in the minds of all the reincarnators.

"It's a success..." The overlord slumped to the ground, incredulous.

"Hurry! The nest is about to collapse completely!" Chu Xuan urged.

The group helped each other up and quickly fled the collapsing nest. As they rushed out of the cave, the cargo hold behind them echoed with continuous sounds of collapse.

"Well done!" Zheng Zha's voice came through the earpiece, filled with excitement. "Ripley said that with the Queen dead, the other aliens seem to have lost their leader and are starting to fight independently, greatly reducing their threat. We can now gradually eliminate the rest!"

Wang Lin, panting heavily, looked at the ruins of his nest behind him, then at his teammates beside him who, though disheveled, had bright eyes, and a sense of accomplishment welled up inside him.

He changed the plot. Without sacrificing a large number of new recruits as bait, without any team splits, they successfully killed the Queen at a much lower cost and obtained a generous reward.

Moreover, in this process, he initially established a "cooperative" relationship with Chu Xuan, exchanging information for the wise man's strategy and using the contract to maintain the team's apparent unity.

Although he knew that Zhang Jie still had secrets, Chu Xuan's absolute rationality might still cause conflict in the future, and Zheng Zha's growth would take time... at least, this was a good start.

"After returning, we need to carefully plan our strengthening strategy," Wang Lin said to Chu Xuan.

Chu Xuan adjusted his glasses, looked at Wang Lin, and a barely perceptible glint flashed in his eyes: "Your information is worth far more than a C-level side quest. I look forward to our next collaboration."

Wang Lin smiled. He knew that he had taken the first step steadily on his path as a "prophet" and "master of the field."

Next, we need to clear out the remaining aliens, safely pass the 72 hours, and then return to the Main God Space to face new enhancements and challenges.