<strong>"Wait, they turned the White House into a fortress! Those crazy bastards!"</strong>@@novelbin@@


    <strong>"It’s been quite some time since thest mission. Also, watch yournguage."</strong>


    <ul>


    <li>"Crazy bastards, LOL"</li>


    <li>"You caused this, didn’t you?"</li>


    <li>"Fact: This is your fault."</li>


    <li>"You gotta get tougher to survive in a world like this, LOL."</li>


    <li>"I miss the old, innocent Yujin…"</li>


    </ul>


    <strong>Tududududu!</strong>


    Machine guns firing from the White House balcony, a ce where once the world’s most powerful person should have resided, but now it’s a makeshift fortress, with chain guns spewing lead.


    What can I say? This is not the kind of thing a special forces team should be doing. Ideally, special forces would infiltrate this kind of fortified White House at night with airborne forces and quietly neutralize every enemy inside.


    But the Omega virus doesn’t care who you are. Whether you’re a regr person, a high-ranking official, or an elite SOF, in the end, you’re still human.


    In short, everyone died equally.


    We were understaffed, big time.


    Meanwhile, the chaos wasn’t limited to the White House. Crossfire rained down from every building surrounding it in a U-shaped formation. The trees from the White House gardens, usually an iconic part of the grounds, were all cut down for visibility. We had no choice but to either make a huge detour or destroy everything in our way.


    We chose thetter. With the skills unlocked from our Pentagon and DARPA missions, dealing with those machine gun nests was now a simple task.


    <strong>─Tududududu!</strong>


    <strong>─Boom!</strong>


    While the turret we’d set up drew all the attention, I attached a sticky bomb from behind, and boom! With a sh, another fortified position was gone. We pressed forward through the gap, filling the engineer rushing toward us to reload with .338 caliber holes. He didn’t even get to use the shotgun slung over his back.


    The process repeated. Ziplining to nearby buildings, neutralizing every machine gun nest in sequence. Once that side was silent, weid down suppressive fire to prevent the opposite line from retaliating.


    This opened the path to the White House.


    <strong>"Attach the Meltdown Bomb to the wall!"</strong>


    <strong>"Attached! Get back, I’m triggering it!"</strong>


    3, 2, 1. Boom.


    The ugly stone wall surrounding the White House was blown apart in one hit, leaving enough space for several people to slip through. After that, things were straightforward.


    They didn’t have any Icarus Operators, but we had two.


    Having orcking nanomachine barriers fundamentally changes the tactics of CQB, increasing survival rates by at least 70%. This was more than promising—it was revolutionary.


    In other words, while normal people die from a bullet, Icarus Operators don’t die even after taking multiple hits.


    <strong>"Aaah!"</strong>


    <strong>"Damn government dogs! Ugh!"</strong>


    <strong>"Alpha Line breached! Icarus Operators have entered! They can’t be stopped!"</strong>


    The same people who’d turned America into a mess were now calling us “government dogs.” What a joke.


    Of course, I wasn’t ming the in-game AI, but I’d heard this same nonsense multiple times while patrolling Washington in the past. Back then, the city was crawling with wannabe patriots, using the chaos as an excuse to stir up trouble.


    But that wasn’t the point. The real reason we had topletely clear the White House was something else.


    ISO’s voice came over thems.


    <strong>-[ISO: Sorry to interrupt the grand finale, but we have a new development. It seems we have a VIP in the White House bunker. Secure them safely.]</strong>


    <strong>-[ISO: I’m counting on the two of you. Thank you so much for your dedication. The newly reborn America won’t forget your service.]</strong>


    Nice words, but now wasn’t the time.


    The enemy force indicator in the White House UI was rapidly decreasing. But we needed to clear everything before we could ess the underground bunker.


    So I pushed Harmony hard, clearing every entrenched enemy throughout the building. With SMGs providing overwhelming firepower in tight spaces, any resistance became futile.


    After about 10 minutes, the White House was a rtively safe ce to walk around.


    Assuming you could ignore all the bodies.


    <strong>-[ISO: Now, let’s go retrieve our 48th President, who’s barely survived through all this.]</strong>


    <ul>


    <li>"Missionplete! Missionplete!"</li>


    <li>"Wow, we’ve finally seen a hardcore mission through to the end!"</li>


    <li>"My heart swells with pride… I can’t believe I’ve been watching this."</li>


    <li>"Finally, it’s over!"</li>


    <li>"Great job, seriously!"</li>


    </ul>


    While donations from 10,000 won to six-figure amounts poured in like crazy, we entered the President’s office, where he used to conduct official business, and ran my hand along the wall.


    A mechanical whirr followed, and the Icarus Operator identification processpleted, revealing a hidden elevator behind the bookshelf. We got in and descended.


    After what felt like a while, the doors opened.


    <strong>"Hands up, don’t move!"</strong>


    <strong>"Stop. These are the guests here to rescue us."</strong>


    As a dozen men in suits pointed their guns at us, I casually raised both hands into the air.


    Harmony, looking a bit stunned, did the same. Then, a figure wearing a tattered suit covered in dust stepped forward. Of course, I knew who it was.


    Henry M. Brayton.


    The most unfortunate President in U.S. history.


    He smiled with a wry expression and added:


    <strong>"Normally, I’d throw you a wee party, but as you can see, the situation is what it is. I heard it’s freezing outside."</strong>


    <strong>"We nearly turned into snowmen on the way here."</strong>


    <strong>"Haha! You’ve got a good sense of humor. Unfortunately, with the number of people here, I can’t initiate the rescue right away. It’s a pity. I could use a shower—my wife’s been raising hell about it."</strong>


    ISO cut in.


    <strong>-[ISO: The operation to retake Washington D.C. is progressing from Ronald Reagan National Airport, Mr. President. The White House will be safe for the time being, so please stay here for a few more days.]</strong>


    <strong>"Hah, I suppose. At this point, what difference would a few more days make in this cramped space?"</strong>


    The President gave me a pat on the shoulder as he surveyed the room.


    <strong>"Anyway, I assume there’s another reason for your visit besides a rescue. Unfortunately, I’ll need you two to help with something else. You can ess the data node in the situation room and ry the Icarus-rted data."</strong>


    <strong>-[ISO: Is there a problem?]</strong>


    <strong>"These two will handle the transfer. Meanwhile, I’ll go out and get some fresh air. Anyone care to join me?"</strong>


    <strong>"It’s still dangerous, Mr. President. You should stay here for the time being."</strong>


    <strong>"Damn, it’s ridiculous that someone who should have the most power in the world… well, at least once did… can’t even breathe the air of his own country freely. But fine. If I must stay, then so be it."</strong>


    The President hadn’t lost his fiery spirit.


    After exchanging a few more pleasantries, we left him behind and headed toward the data node. We passed a few people sprawled out asleep, but we didn’t pay them much mind.


    It was time.


    <strong>-[ICARUS: Data ess and sharing approved.]</strong>


    <strong>-[ICARUS: Node ess in progress.]</strong>


    Not just Washington or New York, but the entire United States—it was time to find out what was really going on.


    <strong>"The state of the world is absolute chaos."</strong>


    A cutscene began.


    Harmony and I listened quietly. It was almostical, the contrast between ISO, who looked like a typical American, and our unique avatars. But it didn’t matter. It was all automated anyway.


    From this point forward, Icarus had unrestricted ess to data previously reserved for the President and the Secretary of Defense.


    In other words, now we’d know how the world was really turning.


    <strong>"I was wondering where the U.S. Navy had gone when they should have been defending the homnd. Thankfully, they haven’t been wiped out, but the 3rd and 7th Fleets are engaged in defensive battles near Japan, and the 2nd, 5th, and 6th Fleets are anchored at their ports. Russia and China’s deception tactics must’ve been incredibly effective."</strong>


    As mentioned before, Russia and China opted for deception instead of all-out war. Given America’s naval dominance, this was probably the smart move.


    Fortunately, it seems China and Russia’s naval forces were decimated during their deception efforts, opening a clear path to the U.S. maind.


    However, with the Omega virus ravaging the U.S. military—including the Coast Guard—the maind was left exposed. Asia wasn’t doing well either, but the two adversary nations had an excess of destructive intent.


    Thus, those two countries startednding massive forces on U.S. soil—not just infantry, butnding ships and a few destroyers. The U.S. Navy and Coast Guard were in no position to stop them.


    Division upon divisionnded, turning the situation into an utter mess.


    Meanwhile, the cutscene showed my avatar mumbling to itself.


    <strong>"Malthusian theorists must be thrilled, though I’m sure most of them are dead by now."</strong>


    <strong>"Those maniacs. This isn’t a conventional war. They’reunching a suicidal attack to drag the U.S. down to hell with them."</strong>


    At that moment, ISO zoomed in on a hologram.


    Boston, the New York coastline, Phdelphia, Baltimore, and down to Florida—all swarming with tens of thousands of scattered enemy troops, wreaking havoc. But that wasn’t all.


    With a sharp knock on the chalkboard, the next screen appeared.


    <strong>"And the scope of operations has expanded. The entire state of California is engulfed in mes—China’s territory now. You may be tasked with providing support there via C130 aircraft in the near future."</strong>


    As the text on the screen changed, a series of missions were revealed: raid missions, special ops, upation missions, and more. Just because we’d finished the main mission didn’t mean it was over. In fact, all of this had been leading up to the infrastructure necessary for continued support missions.


    From a gamey perspective, it made sense. Without post-main mission content, Dark Zone would’ve beenbeled a mere PvP game.


    <strong>"Briefingplete. The two of you can rest now. It’s up to us to prioritize missions and open the airways to California. Thank you. We wouldn’t have gotten this far without you."</strong>


    He extended his hand.


    Harmony and I shook it in turn, his gaze unwavering as he spoke.


    <strong>"Thank you for your dedication."</strong>


    <strong>-[Notification: You have cleared all main missions!]</strong>


    <strong>-[Notification: ''Emergency Mission,'' ''Support Mission,'' ''upation Mission,'' ''Special Ops,'' and ''Raids'' have been unlocked!]</strong>


    <strong>-[Notification: Gear Score now activated. New difficulty levels for main missions have been unlocked—Hard, Very Hard, and Maximum Difficulty (limited to certain maps).]</strong>


    <strong>"All the main missions were already on ''Very Hard,'' and now they’re only just unlocking harder levels. Who knew the rope I grabbed at the start would lead to such a ridiculously difficult path?"</strong>


    <strong>"Haha."</strong>


    <ul>


    <li>"All clear! All clear! All clear!"</li>


    <li>"7th in Korea! 7th in Korea!"</li>


    <li>"My heart swells with pride!"</li>


    <li>"Yujin is a goddess! Harmony, you’re a goddess too! Woooo!"</li>


    <li>"Well done, Harmony!"</li>


    </ul>


    <strong>"You did great."</strong>


    <strong>"Hehe, why are you saying that already? We still need to gear up. By the way, if we clear all the main missions on Hardcore, can we visit Icarus HQ? Take me with you. I’ve got plenty of free time outside streaming anyway."</strong>


    <strong>"Oh, that’s a thing, huh?"</strong>


    I’d almost forgotten.


    Anyway, we chatted about various things. After all, a lot had happened—though nothing too heavy. It was more of a discussion about future content, what to do next, and how to proceed with the viewers.


    Apparently, now the real reason Dark Zone was considered a loot-shooter FPS would be clear. They called it "junk collecting."


    That’s impressive in its own way.


    <strong>"Anyway, since we finished early today, let’s call this Part 1. I’ll think a bit more before we start Part 2 with a Just Chatting session."</strong>


    <strong>"Let’s take a short break. See you in 10 minutes!"</strong>


    <ul>


    <li>"Yuhahaha~~"</li>


    <li>"You’re gonna stream again, right? Tell me you’re gonna stream again!"</li>


    <li>"If she bails now, that’d be legendary, LOL."</li>


    <li>"Part 2? Hell yeah!"</li>


    <li>"Alright, I’m all set for another round ofte-night snacks."</li>


    </ul>


    After leaving behind the cacophony of voices, I ended the stream temporarily.


    The night had only just begun.


    <strong>-[Notification: Operator ''Eugene'' has reached 100% progress.]</strong>


    <strong>-[Notification: Worldline Synchronization initiated.]</strong>


    <strong>-[Notification: Filtering… Unauthorized presence detected—Virus code ''Omega''.]</strong>


    <strong>-[Notification: Expulsionplete.]</strong>


    <strong>-[Notification: Composing inquiry….]</strong>


    .


    .


    <strong>-[Inquiry: What was thest thing you saw?]</strong>


    <strong>-[Input: ____________________________________]</strong>