Chapter 40 Planet of apes?

Words : 1337 Updated : Sep 10th, 2025

[Beast Detected] [Classification: Spider Ape (Category 2)] [Warning: Evolutionary Status - Growing] [Note: This beast shows signs of rapid adaptation potential] It stood roughly man-height, its body covered in iridescent fur . Six limbs – four arms and two powerful legs – gave it an unsettling symmetry. Its face bore an almost childlike quality, with large, expressive eyes and a button nose that would have been cute if not for the razor-sharp teeth visible when it chirped. Their combat bracelets chimed in unison. "Level 2 threat," Micah announced, his voice low and controlled. "Spider Ape classification." The creature's eyes remained fixed on the sphere in Kelvin's hands, its head tilting with an almost human curiosity. The gesture was so innocent, so seemingly harmless, that they all felt their guard lowering slightly. "I think..." Kelvin stepped forward slowly, his natural affinity for all things technical extending even to alien life, "this belongs to you?" [Warning: Anomalous Behavior Pattern Detected] [Recommendation: Maintain Distance] 'Something's wrong,' Noah thought, watching the scene unfold. 'The system's trying to tell me something about this creature. This isn't just a simple beast.' The Spider Ape accepted the fruit with one of its upper hands, examining Kelvin with intelligent eyes. For a moment, the tension eased. Even Micah's perpetual scowl softened slightly at the seemingly peaceful exchange. Then those eyes flashed red, and with blinding speed, two of its hands snatched Kelvin's Ravager. "Oh shit," Kelvin froze, hands raised. "Easy there, buddy. That's not a toy." The Spider Ape held the Ravager with an unsettling delicacy, its four hands moving across the weapon's surface. At first, the movements seemed random, curious – like a child examining a new object. "Look at that," Cora whispered, a nervous laugh escaping her. "Guess someone wants to join the academy." [Warning: Neural Pattern Analysis Detected] [Beast Status: Active Learning In Progress] [Threat Level Escalating] Noah watched the creature's eyes. They weren't wandering aimlessly over the weapon – they were tracking every detail, every contour, every control surface. 'It's not playing,' he realized. 'It's studying.' "Everyone stay calm," Micah ordered, his gauntlets humming to life with a subtle whine. "These creatures are known to mimic actions they—" The transformation was instant. The Spider Ape's movements shifted from exploratory to precise. Its fingers found the grip, adjusted perfectly. The safety clicked off with a practiced motion. The barrel leveled at Kelvin's chest with military precision. "That's... not mimicry," Lila breathed, her power flickering around her fingers. A rustle overhead drew their attention. Another soft thud, then another. Dark shapes moved through the canopy, iridescent fur catching the filtered sunlight. Eyes – dozens of them – gleamed down from the branches. [Multiple Threats Detected] [Pack Count: 27 Individuals] [Warning: Coordinated Tactical Positioning Observed] "Nobody move," Micah's voice had lost its usual arrogance, replaced by genuine concern. "They're not just pack hunters. They're—" "Smart," Noah finished. "Really smart." He watched as more Spider Apes descended, each moving with calculated precision to surround them. Some carried their own spherical fruits, but their eyes were locked on the humans' weapons. The first Spider Ape – the one holding Kelvin's Ravager – made a sound. Not the shrill cry from before, but something more deliberate. A series of clicks and chirps that caused the others to adjust their positions. "Are they..." Cora's voice shook slightly, "are they actually communicating?" "Kelvin," Lila whispered, "what are the energy readings saying?" The group collapsed onto fallen logs, breathing hard. Everyone except Micah, who hadn't even broken a sweat. If anything, he looked angrier than before. "Don't," he snapped when Cora started to rise, eager to pursue. "Let them go." "But we had them on the run!" she protested, still high on combat adrenaline. Micah's voice could have frozen lava. "If you had all listened to me in the first place, we wouldn't have been ambushed. Basic protocol exists for a reason." No one argued. They were too busy catching their breath, processing what had just happened. Noah leaned back against a trunk, feeling his muscles burn pleasantly from the exertion. 'Not just beasts,' he thought, watching the canopy where their attackers had vanished. 'They're evolving. Learning. Adapting.' The forest had gone quiet again, but this time the silence felt different. Watchful. Calculating. Learning. Core extraction was messy work. The Spider Apes' bodies had already begun decomposing at an accelerated rate – a common trait among Cannadah's fauna. Noah counted seventeen recoverable cores, though several had been damaged in the fighting. [Cores Collected: 17] [Total XP Gained: 340] [Note: Some cores show signs of unusual energy patterns] There were of course some cores he he'd stolen. Not particularly "steal" he rationalized since he killed them himself, he felt he deserved that much and wasn't going to just check them in like that. "It's barely midday," Micah announced, watching them pack away the cores. "We're not wasting a transport trip just because some monkeys got frisky." 'Of course not,' Noah thought bitterly. 'Heaven forbid the mighty Micah cut a mission short.' He noticed Cora and Kelvin sharing similar looks of resignation. They walked in tense silence, the forest's ambient sounds slowly returning around them. Then Micah stopped so abruptly that Kelvin almost walked into him. "Hold position," he ordered, moving toward something half-buried in leaves. His gauntleted hand emerged holding a standard-issue combat bracelet, followed by a cracked helmet. "Kelvin," Micah's voice was unusually tight. "Identity check." Kelvin took the bracelet, his fingers glowing with technopathic energy as he interfaced with the device. His eyes widened. "It's... it's registered to a Sarah Cain. Class 1C." "What's a 1C bracelet doing out here?" Cora asked, looking around the clearing with new interest. The ground was unusually flat, leaves arranged in an almost deliberate pattern. Noah's mind connected the dots first. "Better question – where did those apes get their Ravagers?" The implications hung heavy in the air. "You think..." Kelvin's voice trailed off as he looked at the clearing again. Micah's jaw clenched. "The base might have sent 1C teams here yesterday. It would explain the bracelet, the weapons." "But who leaves behind their combat bracelet?" Cora asked. "These things cost more than a year's tuition. You'd get expelled for losing one." Noah caught Lila's eye, and he knew they were thinking the same thing. They'd both seen 1C's... extracurricular activities during their first expedition on Earth. The cleared ground, the discarded equipment, the choice of location... 'They came out here to hook up,' Noah thought darkly. 'And the local wildlife decided to crash their party.' Lila's slight nod confirmed she'd reached the same conclusion. Neither spoke up – some things were better left unsaid, especially with Micah already on edge. "I'll hold onto this," Micah secured the bracelet. "As a senior student, I'll file a report when we return to Earth." His tone suggested the matter was closed. They resumed their trek, but the forest felt different now. Every rustle in the canopy carried new weight. Every shadow might hide another piece of abandoned equipment – or worse, another sign of what happened to its owner. 'Fucked around and found out,' Noah thought, remembering 1C's reputation for risky behavior. 'Literally.' The dark humor of it almost made him laugh, but the gravity of the situation kept it in check. Beside him, Lila walked closer than before, her eyes scanning the canopy with renewed wariness. They both knew the truth – that somewhere in these trees, intelligently evolved Spider Apes were probably still learning, still adapting, still watching. And they'd learned their first lessons from students who'd chosen the wrong place for a romantic rendezvous. The day was far from over, and Cannadah still had plenty of secrets to reveal.

Chapter 40 Planet of apes?

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